Big Leagues
by Yusei-pal473
Summary: A series of one-shots featuring my OC Logan Washburn teamed up with various DC heroes, as well as Cammy and Chun-Li from Street Fighter and Soifon from Bleach, to take down a series of rogues in a similar manner to 'Batman: The Brave and The Bold. Rated T for Violence and occasional Language. Cammy/OC/Chun-Li. OC/Soifon tension.
1. Through the Looking Glass

**Alright, I know I'm using Logan Washburn in 'The World Warrior Tournament' and 'Search for Pandora' right now, but this has been in my head for a good while, so I figured I'd jot it down. This is a structure similar to 'Batman: The Brave and The Bold', but more serious. It'll have Logan teaming up with various DC heroes as well as Chun-Li and Cammy from **_**Street Fighter**_** and Soifon from **_**Bleach**_** once in a while. As such, it'll be in the crossover section as opposed to DC Comics.**

**DISCLAIMER: DC Comics owns all of the characters that are featured in this except Logan Washburn, Chun-Li, Cammy White, and Soifon. I own Logan, Capcom owns the **_**Street Fighter**_** series, and Tite Kubo owns **_**Bleach**_**.**

"Talking"

"_Radio/Communications"_

'_Thinking'_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Through the Looking Glass<strong>

In St. Louis, Logan Washburn was chasing a criminal who was getting away with some loot. The young Assassin was on his motorcycle and behind the crook as well. He saw that the perp was getting ready to fire, so he strafed to the right and dodged the bullets. Logan knew he wasn't going to get anywhere by simply chasing him on a motorcycle, so he pulled out one of his Civil War revolvers and shot the back right tire on the car, causing it to swerve and hit a lamppost. The crook tried to get away, but Logan used the chain on his grapple blade to bring him closer. He knocked out the thief and took the money back to the bank. "Thank you sir," said the manager.

"It was my pleasure," Logan said. After the manager went back inside, Logan went back to his bike before hearing a familiar voice.

"Working another late night, I see." The Assassin looked and saw one of the only two Justice Leaguers he's ever worked with. He had on a sleeveless green hoodie, arm guards, pants, boots, and a black domino mask. He had on him a hybrid Recurve/Longbow and a green quiver full of arrows. "Long time no see."

"You better believe it, GA. How's Canary?" he asked the archer. GA, or Green Arrow as he's called, chuckled.

"Oh, she's Canary. You should meet her some time."

"_Attention, All units. We have a disturbance at the Natural History Museum. Repeat: a disturbance at the Natural History Museum,"_ said a voice coming from Logan's radio.

"That better not be Vega again," Logan said before looking up at Green Arrow again. "Care to come along?" GA just smirked.

* * *

><p>The duo got to the Museum and looked around until they saw the disturbance. Green Arrow readied his bow while Logan put his hand on his sword. The man had on a yellow outfit with a green belt and a black-and-green mask. "Hands up, McCulloch!" exclaimed Arrow.<p>

"I told you, Arrow, the name's Mirror Master," said the man.

"Friend of yours?" asked Logan. Mirror Master grabbed a pistol and fired some laser shots at the duo. Logan used Flash Step to get out of the way while Green Arrow went behind a pillar.

"That's Evan McCulloch! He's better known as the Mirror Master! I'd try not to get too close to him if I were you!" Logan threw a trick knife at Mirror Master while GA fired a trick arrow. Mirror Master summoned a portal and sent both through it. A portal opened behind Logan and sent the knife and Arrow towards him. It turns out that these were bombs that exploded and sent him towards their foe. Mirror Master used a portal to trap Logan in a different dimension. "Logan!" Arrow exclaimed. He pointed an arrow at Mirror Master. "Where did you send him!?" he asked.

"It should be obvious, Arrow. I sent him to another dimension. Now I've got to run. It's been fun." With that, he used his powers to enter a mirror and get away. Green Arrow looked and saw that Mirror Master took an ancient vase.

* * *

><p>In another universe, Logan came out of a portal. He had a look around and saw that he was in a downtown area. He just didn't know where. He got out his cell phone and saw that he was in an unfamiliar city in general. He decided to Flash Step onto the top of a building to see what was going on. He took another look around until he saw a water tower. "Starling City?" he asked himself. "I've never heard of it before." He ran on the rooftops until he saw a building with the words 'Queen Consolidated' on it. "Okay, now I'm freaking out. GA said that the company name was 'Queen Industries'. I must be in another dimension."<p>

"Then I suggest you find a way back to your own," said a dark voice. Logan turned around and saw a figure jump down. The sky was dark, but he could tell that the figure was wearing a red hooded jacket and pants, red gloves, and a quiver complete with red arrows. He had on a red domino mask as well.

"I would find a way back to my own world, but I don't travel between dimensions. And what do you call yourself? Red Arrow?" asked the Assassin.

"Actually, the name's Arsenal. And you're in the wrong town," said Arsenal, pointing an arrow at Logan. He fired, only for the Assassin to dodge. Logan gritted his teeth at the name.

"I know an Arsenal in my world. He uses more than just arrows."

"You don't seem to like the name that much."

"That's because he and I don't get along that well." Arsenal continued to fire more arrows at Logan, who just kept dodging. The Assassin ran towards the archer and kicked him in the chest. Arsenal retaliated by hitting Logan with the bow. He went for another blow, but Logan caught him on his arm, locked it under his own, and elbowed him, knocking him down. He heard some running, so he turned around and clotheslined a speed demon in an all-red costume. Logan saw a lightning bolt symbol as well. "So this universe has its own Flash as well, huh? I'm not exactly impressed with this one."

"Well I'm impressed with you. It's not everyday someone clotheslines a speed demon like that," said the Flash. He got up and started punching at Logan at high speeds. The Assassin blocked a few, but was punched more than he blocked. After a bit, he decided enough was enough and tripped the Flash up. He started on his own barrage of attacks. Due to the quick chain of combos, Flash couldn't counter the attacks. After knocking the speedster down, an arrow was shot from the higher rooftops. It let out a special knockout gas, causing Logan to pass out.

* * *

><p>After a bit, Logan started to stir. He heard four sets of voices, two of which belonged to Arsenal and Flash. One of the two unfamiliar ones was female while the other one was male. "…Oliver, quick! He's waking up!" said the female. Logan opened up his eyes and looked around. He saw the female, who had blonde hair, a white blouse, and a black skirt. He looked at the other unknown and saw that he had on a green version of what Arsenal wore. He looked at himself and discovered that he was tied to a chair while the woman was applying an ice pack on his head. "Are you okay?" she asked.<p>

"I'm fine. I'd feel better if I wasn't tied down. Let me guess: Arsenal conked me in the head while I was knocked out, didn't he?" he responded, feeling a bit of pain.

"Yeah, he kind of did," answered Oliver. "The name's Oliver Queen."

"Green Arrow?" asked the Assassin.

"So you know my identity?" Logan nodded. "I wear a lot of green, but I just go by Arrow. This is Felicity Smoak. I see you've met Arsenal and Flash as well."

"You mean Roy and Barry? Yeah I met them. I can understand Barry attacking me since he felt that he had to protect his teammate. Roy's greeting on the other hand, not so much."

"How did you know their identities?" Felicity asked.

"I'm from a different dimension. There's an Oliver Queen, Barry Allen, and Roy Harper there as well. Barry and Roy still have their identities as Flash and Arsenal, but Roy's not so chummy with Ollie anymore."

"Let me guess," said Oliver. "The Oliver Queen there goes by Green Arrow, right?"

"Yeah, but sometimes, we call him either GA or Arrow." Arrow just knelt down in front of him. "What?"

"If I let you go, you're not going to attack us, are you?"

"No I'm not. What kind of idiot would I be if I went face-to-face with the Emerald Archer?" Oliver merely smirked and had Barry remove the rope that was binding him. Felicity handed him his hidden blades and sword back after he got up.

"Yeah, Roy did a number on you. Judging from the mark on the right side of your face, he hit you with his bow," said Barry.

"If I have any bruises on my torso, you know I'm pinning that on you." Oliver chuckled at the interaction between his two newest teammates. Just then, the door upstairs opened and down came an African-American man in a business suit.

"What's up, Dig?" asked Arrow.

"Check it, Oliver. One of Flash's archenemies is on the loose. It's the Trickster," he said. They looked on the computer screen and saw a freaky-looking goon in a clown costume. He had wild hair and the costume was half blue and half yellow. The blue had yellow polka dots on it.

"Flash and I will go on ahead," said Logan.

"Are you sure you can keep up with him?" asked Arsenal.

"Oh yeah," the Assassin answered. After that, he and Flash took off, leaving behind a bunch of scattered paper.

"Have fun cleaning that up, Diggle," said Arrow. After that, he and Arsenal got out of the hideout and got to the rooftops.

* * *

><p>After running for a little bit, they got to the Starling City Bank. They saw the Trickster running from the building with a sack full of money. Logan just shook his head and got out one of his trick knives. He threw it a good distance in front of the Trickster and it exploded, sending the criminal kook back. "Don't you think you're getting a little old for this, Jesse?" asked Flash. "At least it's here where I have some teammates."<p>

"Just be happy about that, Speed Demon! I'm not even done yet!" The Trickster literally sprang up and tried to hit the pair, but was caught in a net. They looked and saw that Arrow had arrived and fired a net arrow. Before Jesse could hit the ground, he pushed a button on his suit, causing it to expand and break the net. He bounced some more in the air before Arsenal fired an arrow, which poked a hole in the suit.

Logan followed that up by jumping off the wall, grabbing him, and tossing him onto another wall. Unfortunately, Jesse countered by punching him with a spring-loaded boxing glove fit on his hand. _'What's this guy's deal? From what Nightwing told me, he reminds me too much of a slightly less psychotic Joker,'_ Logan thought after recovering.

"You've just been introduced to James Jesse, aka The Trickster," said Flash as if reading his mind. "He has a lot of gimmicks under that clown suit so I suggest you be careful." As Flash said that, Trickster got out a hot-air balloon and floated up. Arrow fired a tracer arrow at the criminal when he wasn't looking.

"That's what Green Arrow's been telling me with Mirror Master."

* * *

><p>Back in Logan's own dimension, GA was interrogating Mirror Master, whom he just caught, at Belle Reve Penitentiary. The warden in charge was Amanda Waller, who granted Arrow permission to speak to him. "Okay, McCulloch, I want to know which dimension you sent Logan too!" he exclaimed, punching his fist into the wall. "If you lie to me, I swear I'll knock you into next Tuesday!"<p>

"O-Okay, GA, just chill," said Mirror Master. "I honestly don't know where I sent him. I can't access my tech since Waller has it in confiscated goods. You're better off asking either Raven or Flash. They might know where he is." GA continued to glare at him until he wet himself.

"Thanks for the tip. I'll ask them both. As for you, you might want to get that suit in the laundry." With that, Green Arrow left Belle Reve in search of Raven. Before he got too far, he stopped, knowing that someone was around. "Okay, Roy, you can come out now. I'm in no mood for games."

Not too soon, a figure stepped out, wearing a red sleeveless shirt, red pants, red boots, and two quivers, one on his back and the other on his belt. He also wore a baseball hat and his arms hat tattoos on them. "You in a bad mood?" asked Roy. "Wow. That's a shock."

"What are you doing here?"

"I figured you were looking for Raven and thought you could use some help. Speedy's still new to this, so she won't be of much help; Dick's dead; Jason doesn't care; and Star wants to stay out of contact with her old teammates. Which essentially means…" he began.

"…Which essentially means I still have other people to help me out."

"Well gee, sorry for trying to get back in the Arrow family." This caused Ollie to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Sorry, Roy, it's just that I was worried about a friend of mine who helped Nightwing save me from Abstergo. As for your membership in the Arrow family, it's still valid until I cancel it. And you know that there is no way I'd kick out my former partner, right? You're the original Speedy."

"Thanks, Ollie, but I don't think you'd want me to train the current one. I'm a bad influence." The two of them laughed it off with GA lightly punching Roy in the arm.

"I guess I can still have you as a partner once in a while…Arsenal," said Ollie. The two exchanged fist bumps and went off to search for Raven.

* * *

><p>Back in Arrow's universe, the four heroes made it back to the hideout. Logan was recovering from the sucker punch that Trickster threw. "I hope one of you planted a tracer," said Diggle, looking at Logan, Arrow, and Arsenal specifically. Oliver smirked. "You did, didn't you?"<p>

"You better believe it. Prankster's at the old Fun Time Factory, using it as a hideout," he said, pointing at the screen. "If we catch him there, we might be able to find out what else we stole. If there isn't anything else, we can take him right then and there."

"That sounds like a plan, but what if it's booby-trapped?" Felicity asked.

"We'll need someone to spring the traps." They looked at Arsenal, Logan, and Flash. Logan shook his head in disbelief that he'd have to do this with Roy and Barry.

"Do you guys have straws?" he asked. Diggle reached into the drawer and dug out a couple of straws. He gave them to Logan, who cut the end off on one of the straws. "Alright, you two, whoever gets the shortest straw has to spring the trap." They all drew and checked their straws. It turns out that Logan got the shortest straw. "Just my luck…" Arsenal lightly punched him on the shoulder while Flash patted his back. "How far is it, Oliver?"

"The factory's about 5 miles south of Queen Consolidated. It's been abandoned for years, though."

"That's what makes it the perfect hideout for him. Reminds me too much of…" Logan said, drifting off. Felicity and Oliver looked at him, waiting for him to finish. "Never mind. I don't want to get too much into it. I have an idea for the traps to be used on themselves, but I'll need a toy car."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Ollie and Roy were searching by Arrow Car for Raven. They still hadn't come across anything yet when they received a radio transmission. <em>"Watchtower to Green Arrow,"<em> said a voice.

"This is Green Arrow. What's up, Flash?" asked GA.

"_What's up is that I found where Mirror Master sent your pal. It looks like he's teaming up with alternate dimension counterparts to you, me, and Roy. J'onn will bring you up here while I get the coordinates on the Cosmic Treadmill set up."_

"Alright, Barry. We'll be there in a sec." With that, the Arrow Car and its passengers were beamed up to the Watchtower, which was a giant space station with high-tech equipment. It included a holographic map of the world and a place for the _Javelins_ among other things. Ollie and Roy made their way to the Cosmic Treadmill, where the Flash, who was dressed similarly to the one Logan was working with, except his gloves and boots were yellow. "Are the coordinates plugged in?"

"Almost…got it!" he said. Flash zoomed onto the treadmill as Roy activated it. "See, you guys didn't need Raven for this one."

"Yeah, but how are we supposed to get back?" Arsenal asked.

"Simple. You guys aren't going there. I'm bringing him here." This worried Ollie since the Watchtower's alarm system would activate, given that Logan wasn't a Leaguer. He tried to warn Flash about this, but the speedster ignored it and started running.

* * *

><p>Back in Arrow's universe, Logan got a toy car ready. He used a reflector knife that had four mirrors on it, similar to one of Green Arrows trick arrows. He got the remote control ready and drove the car carefully into the hideout. They knew that Trickster wasn't going to be there, so they decided to spring the traps instead. He pushed a button on the controller, which raised the reflector knife to where the infrared lasers hit the mirrors. Soon, all the lasers fired, reflected off the mirrors, and one of them hit the generator, frying it. "Okay, we're clear," he said.<p>

As they were entering, Logan felt a strange force pull on him. Arrow noticed him stop. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Logan shook off the gravitational force, unknowingly giving his world's Flash a harder time. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just got this feeling that some weird force was trying to make me go on another dimensional trip."

"That might be Green Arrow and his friends trying to get you back to your own dimension somehow." Arrow's conclusion surprised Logan. "You disarmed the booby traps. We'll take care of the Trickster from here. You might be needed in your own world. Where are you stationed at?"

"I'm stationed at St. Louis. That might be a good place to look for my counterpart in this world…if I have one. I'll see you guys later." Suddenly, Logan let the gravitational force pull him through.

"Aww, just when I was starting to get along with him," quipped Arsenal. Arrow and Flash smirked.

* * *

><p>Back at the Watchtower in the main universe, the Flash was running as fast as he could. Suddenly, a blinding light flashed and Logan appeared, his body meeting cold metal. He shook his head a little before looking up. His vision was refocusing when he saw a green blur in front of him. "…Logan, if you can hear me, answer this question: how many fingers am I holding up?" asked a voice. Logan knew it was Green Arrow. He also recognized Flash, but he had no idea who the third figure was, having not met him before.<p>

"You're holding up two, Ollie," he answered. "Who's the guy with the tattoos and ball cap?"

"The name's Arsenal. I'm the original Speedy," Roy answered. Suddenly, he got punched hard on the right cheek by the Assassin and knocked on the floor. "What'd you go and do that for?"

"Your counterpart did this to me when I first met him," Logan answered, pointing at the mark he got from getting slammed by the other Arsenal's bow. "I figured I'd return the favor."

"We've got to get you back to St. Louis to rest up. You must've had an interesting day," said GA.

"Interesting is an understatement. Arsenal and Flash's counterparts have the same names, but yours just calls himself Arrow as opposed to Green Arrow."

"Is that right? Is sounds like I'll have to meet him."

* * *

><p>Back in Arrow's universe, he, Flash, and Arsenal were waiting to ambush Trickster. Roy had already informed Felicity and Diggle about Logan returning to his dimension. Suddenly, Jesse entered the building with a sack full of diamonds. "Oh yes," he said. "This'll go great in my collection."<p>

"Actually, it belongs in the jewelry store," said Flash. "As for you, James, there's always room for one more at Belle Reve." Before Trickster could do anything, Flash caught him in a whirlwind and spun him up into Arrow and Arsenal's range. They each fired a trick arrow, which turned out to be the infamous boxing glove arrow, and hit the crazy clown in the head, knocking him out. "Nice shot, guys."

Afterwards, the Trickster was sent back to prison where he belonged. "I suppose I better get out of your hair, guys. I'll head to St. Louis to find our world's version of Logan. If I can't find him, oh well," said Barry.

"Just be careful, Barry. Remember that there are a lot of criminals who want our heads on a platter," Oliver said. Barry nodded before running off to St. Louis. "That kid better be careful. He is just a kid after all."

"And I suppose you're an adult compared to him?" asked Roy.

"And you."

CHAPTER 1 END

* * *

><p><strong>Now remember: just because I put 'Chapter 1 End' doesn't mean that all the chapters are connected. It's more of a <strong>_**Batman: The Brave and The Bold**_** type of story focusing on Logan teaming up with DC heroes, but more serious. Sorry if this wasn't a good start. It's the first time I've worked with DC Comics characters since 'Symbios-Issues' and the first time I had characters from **_**Arrow**_** in one of my stories as well. If you're interested and you like Logan, let me know who you want teamed up with him and who the villain of the chapter you want them to face is. This includes anti-heroes like Catwoman and Red Hood (the latter he'll take a major issue with due to Jason's violent nature), but not the villains unless they're desparate.**

**Also, this is set after the events of **_**Flashpoint**_**, so technically, Roy never took the identity of Red Arrow, he still has his right arm, he, Starfire, and Red Hood are the Outlaws, and he is unaware that Dick Grayson is still alive, but working undercover for Batman at Spyral after his identity as Nightwing is revealed. There's also the fact that Damian Wayne is dead, Batman took on a new apprentice (Harper Row/Bluebird), and Tim Drake is Red Robin. Just making sure that you're up to speed on the comics.**


	2. Outlaws

**Outlaws**

St. Louis was peaceful today, which was a first in a while. Everyone was running around and enjoying themselves, playing Tackle Football, flying their kites, or just hanging out and lying on the grass. In a nearby parking garage, Logan was making some last-minute adjustments to his motorcycle to finish some fine-tuning while Cammy sat by and watched. They had the radio playing 'Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd in the process. "How much longer 'til it's done?" she asked. "I'd like to go on a ride while I have some time off."

Logan knew Cammy long enough to know she was joking around. Luckily, she timed the question just right. "It's done now. Hop on." Cammy did as instructed, getting behind Logan, putting on a helmet, and wrapping her arms around his torso. They rode the bike out of the parking garage and onto the street. Logan was testing the handling more than he was the speed on account of the speed limits on the street. They went to the highway to really test it out and, needless to say, Cammy was having the time of her life. "Having fun?" he asked.

"I'm having a blast, darling!" she answered. He looked on his radar and saw that there was an alert tipped off. They rode to an alleyway and saw that it was a three-way fight. Two rival gangs were fighting each other as well as three other individuals. Logan recognized one of them as Roy Harper, aka Arsenal. He also saw that his accomplices were a vigilante in a red helmet and street clothes and a red-headed girl whose outfit was showing a bit too much skin. He also noticed something else about the girl: her eyes were glowing green and she was firing green energy blasts at the gang members. "Well this certainly puts a damper on our day."

"Yep. Let's go." The trio defeated the gangs, but before the one in the helmet could deliver the killing blow, he got kicked to the side. Roy and the girl looked and saw who kicked their friend.

"Oh, why you?" asked Arsenal.

"You know him?" asked the guy in the helmet. Roy didn't answer, instead attacking Logan and Cammy alongside the girl. She and Cammy were preoccupied with taking each other down, leaving Logan to deal with Arsenal and the other vigilante. The former Speedy took out a couple of tonfas and attacked the Assassin with them just as his friend was getting up. Before Harper could get even one hit in, Logan grabbed his wrist, elbowed his armpit, and kneed him in the stomach before kicking him to a wall. Luckily, he did it in time to throw some trick knives to counter three shuriken that were thrown at him by the other vigilante.

Cammy wasn't having such a good time against her own opponent. The obviously alien girl wouldn't let her get close with her Cannon Spike and Spiral Arrow techniques. The girl flew into the air and fired energy beams from her eyes. Cammy grabbed a trash can lid to deflect it back at the girl. She hit her and caused her to fall to the ground. The Delta Red soldier threw the can at her foe and knocked her out. She looked and saw that Logan was having a hard time against the helmet-covered vigilante while Roy was getting up and ready to attack him. She tripped the ex-archer up with a Spiral Arrow and knocked him out as well. The Vigilante saw that both of his teammates were down, so he threw down a few smoke pellets and escaped with both of them and a truck. "Does this kind of thing happen all the time?" Cammy asked.

"Nope," said Logan. "Normally, I take the troublemakers to the cops. However, I think we're going to need some help with this one."

* * *

><p>After the couple got back to the den, Logan let Cammy lie down on the couch while he made a call. Cammy was truly curious when he said that he wasn't going to call Bill this time. He punched in the number to the Arrow Cave but he got no answer. "That stinks. Ollie really needs to make sure the phone numbers on the Arrow Cave and the car are the same one. I don't even have the number to the car or his cell and I can't call Grayson," he said. "I guess the only thing to do is to contact the Watchtower. Though I don't know how they'll react to an Assassin calling them."<p>

"Before you do, honey, what are we dealing with that you had to try Green Arrow first?" Cammy asked tiredly. Logan pulled up the pictures of the people they fought earlier.

"The three individuals we fought today were Jason Todd, Roy Harper, and Koriand'r. Jason was the second Robin after Dick Grayson took the Nightwing mantle, but was killed by the Joker. After which, the League of Shadows' head honcho, Ra's al Ghul, resurrected him using the Lazarus Pits. Jason escaped, then took Joker's former identity of the Red Hood. As the Joker would put it, his was more 'flashy maitre'd than motorcycle fetish'," he said, comparing the two pictures of the Hoods. Cammy looked at Jason's and then at Joker's, which had the signature purple suit, but with a red bucket and cape.

"I'm going to guess that Joker has had that purple suit look this whole time."

"Yeah, he did. He had the Red Hood identity before Batman caused him to fall into a vat at the Ace Chemicals building in Gotham. It bleached his skin and caused him to lose his sanity, which is why he always winds up at Arkham Asylum as opposed to Blackgate Prison. The guy with the ball cap is Roy Harper, the original Speedy. After having a falling out with Green Arrow, Roy tried to commit suicide by picking a fight with Killer Croc. After a pep talk from Croc, he began a rehab session and eventually took up the moniker Arsenal."

"I'd say that's an appropriate name for him given that his quivers had crossbow bolts and he had those tonfas."

"That's not all. Sure, Roy still uses the same equipment that he used as Speedy, but he's got a lot of weapons. These include sniper rifles, rocket launchers, LexCorp-made detonation cords, the whole nine yards."

"What about the girl?"

"Koriand'r is from a planet called Tamaran. On Earth, her name means 'Starfire' and she's been using that codename ever since she met Dick Grayson and the other Titans. Even after her breakup with Dick, she continued to use it as her codename. I don't know why she would work with someone like Jason, though."

"It might not be because of Jason. Instead, it might be because of Arsenal. While he was Speedy, he did resemble Grayson's Robin look a bit. Maybe that's why Starfire's with that group," Cammy suggested.

"True. Dick also said he had a weakness for redheads and that's what Starfire is." After that, he pushed the call button to reach the Watchtower. Seconds later, a humanoid alien with green skin appeared on the screen. He had a blue cape, a red 'X' pattern on his chest, and blue pants.

"_You are not authorized to use this channel. State your reason for contacting us,"_ said the alien.

"We're in need of a Justice Leaguer and Green Arrow's unavailable."

"_If you can tell me the problem, I'll send the proper Leaguer to help you."_

"What we're dealing with are the Red Hood and his Outlaws," stated Cammy. The alien had a contemplating look on his face.

"_Hmm…I see. We're stretched a little thin at the moment, but I'll see who the next appropriate choice would be."_ The alien looked on a computer screen and saw the details of every Leaguer in the databanks. _"You have three choices, one of which isn't even a member of the Justice League: Red Robin, a Green Lantern, or Wildcat."_

"Which Green Lantern is it?" Logan asked.

"_Guy Gardner,"_ answered the alien.

"Pass. I think we'll go with Red Robin. I trained with Wildcat and I don't want him to get hurt."

"_With Wildcat's age and Gardner's temper, Red Robin is the best choice. I'll send him your way. Let me know if you need another Leaguer to help out again."_ After they hung up, Cammy looked at Logan with a serious expression.

"Why didn't you pick the Green Lantern?"

"If it was Hal Jordan, John Stewart, or Kyle Rayner, I would have. I didn't pick Gardner because he's arrogant, short-tempered, hotheaded, and an all-around loudmouth."

"That reminds me of Rufus," said Cammy.

* * *

><p>The Outlaws set up shop at an old motel with a good view of the city. At the time, they were recovering from their fight against Logan and Cammy. While Starfire wasn't mad in any sense of the word, Roy was ticked that he'd have to fight one of Ollie's friends while Jason was furious at the fact that Logan reminded all of them of his predecessor. Star and Roy didn't notice it, though. "I can't believe St. Louis has its own vigilante hero and you know it, Roy!" he shouted.<p>

"Yeah, of course I know it. This is the kid who helped Nightwing rescue GA from the Templars in Karakura Town. Ever since then, Ollie's been trying to get the League to trust him." Roy's explanation did nothing to quell Jason's anger.

"Was this before or after Dick's identity was revealed?" Starfire asked.

"It was before. At the time, the only ones who knew of his identity as both Robin and Nightwing were him, his ex, Batman, Batgirl, Red Robin, Jason, Damien, and Wally. Who among the Titans knew about that besides me and KF?"

"The only other ones who knew of Nightwing's civilian identity were Cyborg and Raven. Beast Boy didn't figure out until he and Red Robin met Impulse." They saw that Jason was looking on his computer for another thing they could do to get Logan and Cammy's attention. Since Jason had his helmet off, they could see his face, including the domino mask he wore as Robin. The archer and the alien saw that he had an interested look before turning it into a smirk.

"Check this out, guys. Big time crime boss Steven Mandragora has set up shop here in St. Louis. If we can cause enough of a ruckus, then that Assassin and his girlfriend will come to us. They'll have their hands full with his gang and that can give Roy a clear shot," said the ex-Robin. Roy closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What's up, Roy? Don't tell me you're going to back out of this one."

"We may have reconciled a little bit, but I still feel that I'm on Ollie's bad side. This is why I'm not killing anyone and why I was relieved that Logan stopped you from killing that punk, Jason. I'm out of here," he said, causing Starfire to have a concerned look on her face after he left.

"I never said anything about killing them."

* * *

><p>Logan and Cammy waited on the rooftops for Red Robin to appear. Cammy wondered what he looked like considering that even in their relationship, he kept most Bat family secrets a secret. As far as secret identities are concerned, all she knew was that Dick was Nightwing and the original Robin as well as what he told her about Jason. Logan did confirm that Red Robin is indeed a member of the Bat family. A ship flew by and a figure jumped out of it. He wore a uniform that was red on the top and black on the bottom. He had two utility belts crossed in an 'X' pattern joined together by a bird symbol. The cape was black on the outside, as per tradition with all members of the Bat family who wore a cape, but red on the inside. He also wore a domino mask like Jason and Roy.<p>

Cammy looked at Logan, who had a smirk on his face. "This is Robin? I expected some yellow on him and an 'R' on his chest," she said.

"Sorry to disappoint. Don't get me wrong. I was Robin. I still have a strong connection to it even after I had a falling out with Batman, which is why I took the name Red Robin," the vigilante said.

"How is Batman holding up by the way?" asked Logan, getting a smirk from Red Robin.

"He's fine. He has a new partner, but out of respect for the latest one, she didn't take the name Robin. She calls herself Bluebird and she is both permitted and willing to use firearms. That's honestly a first for the family."

"Damn."

"So what kind of issue are you guys dealing with?" Red Robin asked.

"Outlaws," answered Cammy, confusing the hero.

"Jason Todd and his buddies Starfire and Roy Harper are causing us a bit of trouble. With Jason and Starfire being as tough as they are and Roy being very effective at far range, we figured that bringing in some extra help would even the odds. That's where you come in."

"That sounds good to me. Jason needs someone to straighten him out. Are there any crime bosses in the area as well?"

"There is one," said a voice. The three of them looked and saw Arsenal jumping to their roof. "It's Steven Mandragora. He set up shop here in St. Louis for some reason."

"What are you doing here, Harper?"

"I'm here to let you know that Jason's planning some sort of ambush on you two," said the ex-Speedy to Logan and Cammy. "He was going to use Mandragora and his gang to get your attention so I could get a clear shot. I decided to back out of it since Ollie would have my neck if you two got killed. I didn't expect Red Robin to be here."

"Well they had the choice of me, Wildcat, or Guy Gardner. For obvious reasons, they chose me to go up against you Outlaws. I'm sure Jason would understand if you were to take some time off, Roy."

Arsenal just nodded at the suggestion and put his hand on Logan's shoulder. "Thanks for interfering. If it hadn't been for you, Jason would've gotten on a family's bad side." With that, he left the trio.

"…okay."

"Even with Arsenal leaving, the odds are still even. Jason and Starfire can easily fill the gap in this plan," said Red Robin. Logan's alert went off, so he pulled up the screen and saw that a huge commotion was happening.

"I think this is Jason's trap. He and Starfire are fighting Mandragora's gang."

* * *

><p>They got to the commotion and saw Jason smack-talking the gangsters and Mandragora himself, who looked like a fat mobster with a white pinstripe suit and purple shirt underneath. His skin was very pale in comparison to a humanoid being. Jason said a snarky remark which caused the entire gang to attack him. "Can you two handle Jason?" asked Red Robin.<p>

"Take Cammy with you. Starfire's on the building we're behind. I can take Red Hood on my own."

"Are you sure? I don't want to endanger a civilian."

"Take a look at Cammy's uniform. She's a member of Delta Red. She can handle herself, even against Starfire. And I trained with Nightwing after all, so don't worry too much about it." Red Robin and Cammy nodded their heads before Cammy gave Logan a kiss on the cheek.

"Good luck, love," she said while he was blushing. After she grabbed onto Red Robin, he used his grappling hook and brought her to the roof in an instant, surprising Starfire.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Logan threw a trick knife with knockout gas, knowing that Red Hood's helmet had a filter in it. He looked, but Logan passed by him with a Flash Step and knocked Mandragora out himself by slamming his face onto his knee and tossing him roughly to the ground. "You know I could've handled myself, right?" Jason asked.<p>

"I know. It just felt good to embarrass a former Robin," said the Assassin. At this, Red Hood got ticked. He leaped into the air to kick Logan to the ground. He dodged it, grabbed his leg, and tossed him to the cans. Jason recovered and saw Logan giving the 'come and get me' sign.

* * *

><p>Starfire heard a sound and saw Red Robin and Cammy on the roof with her. She got her Star Bolts ready in case they were there to fight. "What are you doing here, Red Robin?" she asked. "Did Wonder Girl call for a break?"<p>

"Cute. No, Star, we're here to stop your rampage on the gangs of St. Louis. You guys shouldn't be killing anyone in the process. Roy told us how Jason would've killed one guy had Logan not interfered. Please, you've got to stop this, Star. Let Logan take care of it. Notice that he already knocked out Mandragora and his gang. He's fighting your head honcho right now. Remember that, as a Robin, Jason is technically one of my brothers, the other one being Nightwing."

Hearing Nightwing's name caused Starfire to snap. She attacked Red Robin, but Cammy got in the way, grabbing Star's wrists and sternly glaring into her eyes. "Starfire, you have to listen! I know what made you this way! You're here because of Nightwing! You've had a strong bond with him since his days as Robin, long before Jason even took the mantle! What would he think if he saw one of his best friends working with a homicidal maniac like Jason Todd? Do you think Grayson would forgive you?" asked the Delta Red agent.

"Dick Grayson is dead! He was murdered by the Crime Syndicate! How dare you speak his name to me when I am in grief!" With that, Starfire broke free of Cammy's grip. She flew up into the air, ready for an aerial strike. Red Robin pushed the bird symbol on his chest, causing his cape to retract and a jet pack to activate. Starfire fired lasers from her eyes, but Red Robin maneuvered to avoid them. He threw his birdarangs, but Star destroyed them too. Eventually, Red Robin flew behind her and hit her in the back of the head with an electrified Bo staff. When she recovered, she attacked Cammy, but the blonde woman caught her in her CQC. This put Starfire out of commission due to her rage wearing down her energy.

* * *

><p>Back on the ground, Logan and Red Hood were equally matched, mainly because Logan has decided not to use Flash Step and because he figured using Chidori on the Red Hood would be a waste of energy. Jason charged at him with a knife, but like with Arsenal, Logan grabbed his wrist, elbowed him in the armpit, causing him a massive amount of pain, and shoved him to the ground. Jason did a one-armed push-up and got him off. He charged at the Assassin, but was met with a flying trash can. "Looks like you're a little rusty, Hood," Logan said.<p>

"I'm just having an off day thanks to you!" shouted Jason, charging at his opponent again. Logan used both of his hands to smack both sides of Red Hood's helmet hard enough for him to feel the impact. He jumped off of Jason's shoulders and high into the air, much to Red Robin's shock.

"Skydive Assault!" he exclaimed. He shot like a rocket down to Jason's spot just as he was recovering. The result was a Jason Todd-sized crater and an awakened Steven Mandragora. Red Robin threw a birdarang at a chain holding a metal container big enough to fit the crime boss in. The container trapped Mandragora, who couldn't break out easily. "Thanks for saving me the trouble, Red Robin."

"That's for showing that awesome move," said Red Robin. "I'm afraid that Starfire and Red Hood are Justice League priority. As for Arsenal, he's just Green Arrow's priority. I'll take these two to the Watchtower and put them in a good cell, mainly for Starfire's sake." Logan and Cammy nodded. "J'onn, I have a special delivery for the Watchtower's holding cells." After that, Red Robin was teleported to the Watchtower along with Jason and Starfire.

"Well, that's that. Now we can get back to our date," said Logan.

"And I know a good place to finish it. I hope we get to work with Red Robin again," Cammy said.

"Same here. I think I'm starting to get used to working with Arsenal as well." As they were talking, Arsenal smiled at the whole scene.

"Good job, Logan. Same to you, Tim. Maybe Ollie was right to trust you," he said silently.

CHAPTER 2 END

* * *

><p><strong>For those of you who don't know, Red Robin's civilian identity is Tim Drake, a.k.a. Robin III. Jason Todd is the Red Hood, but I'm sure most of you know that. And in the New 52, Roy Harper never lost his arm, never had a daughter or married Cheshire, or took the name Red Arrow. That codename went to Earth 2's Connor Hawke, or as I liked to call him before the New 52 started, Green Arrow Jr. due to him being Ollie's son.<strong>

**I got a request from a home state friend of mine asking me to include an OC of his due to the fact that he has a crush on Miss Martian (yes, I'm including elements from **_**Young Justice**_** in this as well). I killed off this guy's other OC Sonny Seconds/Blur by having him get killed by Yukon McSleez's missiles in 'Symbios-Issues', so he told me not to kill this one off this time. Also, since elements from **_**Young Justice**_** are being included, you won't see Wally West in this, but Bart Allen's still Impulse. However, since this is set in the New 52, if I use Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, or Kendra Saunders, they'll be from Earth 2.**


	3. Rise of the Silver Lantern Pt 1

**Okay, this chapter takes place on Earth 2 with no focus on Logan, but he will be the main focus along with Hal and a new one I'm bringing in for my friend from my home state in the next chapter. In fact, the focus is on the new OC.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Rise of the Silver Lantern Pt. 1<strong>

In an alternate universe, everything was being rebuilt after a destructive war with an alien world. The lives of Superman, Wonder Woman, and the original Batman have all been lost. To this day, many civilians honor their deaths by placing flowers on their graves, saluting their statues, etc. Some wonder how Batman is still alive since they saw him get killed by one of the aliens while others knew it was someone else wearing the cape and cowl. This story doesn't focus on the new Batman, though. This focuses on someone entirely different.

At a Star Labs in Coast City, a clumsy janitor was mopping the floor in the hallway. This janitor was a slim-built young man with messy brown hair and wears glasses all the time. His name is Nathaniel Dement, and what makes him so clumsy is that he's in the wrong place at the wrong time. As he was mopping, he turned and bumped into the boss, causing him to spill water on his shoes. "Mr. Johnson! I am so sorry about that! Let me clean that up for you!" Nathaniel said. Mr. Johnson was an elderly bald man in a business suit.

"No, it's alright, Nathaniel. You just need to watch yourself better. You may be clumsy, but you can certainly leave a place nice and clean. Not bad," said Mr. Johnson. "Nathaniel, do you mind closing up for the night? I have to get back to my wife at home. It's our anniversary and I don't want to be late."

"Yes sir, Mr. Johnson."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, out in the city, a figure wearing a uniform consisting of a red-and-blue shirt with a gold lightning bolt on it, blue pants, and a helmet with wings that covered his eyes, was running around on patrol at high speeds. He already had to stop 5 bank robberies and 3 would-be arsonists before they could even get started. This was the Flash, but it wasn't Barry Allen. This Flash was Jay Garrick, a former football player whose speed was granted to him by the dying Olympian God Mercury. Mercury left him a message: to watch out for a dark force that was coming and to trust no one.<p>

As mentioned before, he was running around patrolling the city looking for enemies to take down. He had a teammate help out as well with a bird's eye view of the city: the Green Lantern. "I've got nothing on my end. What about you, Alan?" asked the Flash over a comlink.

"Negative, Jay. I've got nothing," Green Lantern said. As his superhero alter ego, the Green Lantern was covered in green energy. He had the powers given to him by The Green, a natural force representing life. His real name was Alan Scott, whose boyfriend Sam was killed in a train wreck that would've killed him had he not been protected by The Green. Since then, he was given the power to avenge Sam and protect the world. The direct source of his power was the engagement ring he had that became a power ring.

As Green Lantern was about to descend to the ground, a dark figure jumped across the rooftops chasing a world renowned perpetrator. The figure was dressed in a gray uniform with the center being an even darker gray. He wore a red utility belt and the bat symbol on his chest was just as red. The symbol, along with the cape and cowl, which had red eyes, made it obvious that this was the new Batman. He tossed a batarang hitting the criminal and knocking him out. "Batman?" asked Green Lantern. "What are you doing here?"

* * *

><p>Back at Star Labs, Nathaniel was finishing up cleaning. He looked in one of the labs out of curiosity when he saw one of the scientists going through a wall. He knew he didn't have access to this particular lab, but he was curious as to what was going on. He got out a bobby pin and screwdriver and proceeded to unlock the door. After a few tries, he finally manages to get it unlocked. He opened the door and saw no sign of the scientist anywhere. "Hello?" he called. There was no answer. He looked on a computer showing a file that the scientist failed to close down. He read the file, but couldn't make head or tails of it. He looked at the testing area and saw a grey ring. Once again, curiosity got the better of him and he cautiously moved towards the ring, unaware that someone—or something—was watching him. As he got closer, the ring started to resonate with a grey glow before slipping itself onto his right ring finger.<p>

As he was being covered in a grey glow similar to Green Lantern's, he heard a disembodied voice speaking to him. _'Nathaniel Dement, you have been chosen by the ring because you have great power,'_ said the voice.

"Great power?" asked Nathaniel. "I don't know what you're talking about. If you mean picking the lock on the door, I wouldn't consider that great power. I was just curious, that's all. That's why I did that."

'_Curious or not, you have been chosen to represent the force known as The Grey. You must face the agent of our enemy, The Green. He and his allies continue to impede our progress. This was made especially apparent when he sent our other agent to Earth's Moon.'_

"I'm going to guess that you won't let me say no."

'_That is correct, Nathaniel Dement._'

"Curse my curiosity. I guess I might as well."

'_That's as good an answer as I'm going to get. Your first foes meet in the city. Lock the building up and look for them. The Green's Agent is among them.'_

* * *

><p>Nathaniel did as instructed and locked the building up before encasing himself back in the grey glow. He flew towards where the ring was taking him. There he came across a meeting of Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl, who was a dark-skinned woman with white wings, blue pants with a black stripe going down the leg, and a matching shirt. She also had a blue visor helmet similar to the Flash's, but without the wings. She carried a mace on her waist. Nathaniel couldn't quite figure out why the ring brought him there until he noticed that Green Lantern had the same glow.<p>

Lantern's ring started glowing, telling them that an agent of The Grey was near. He turned around and saw Nathaniel floating above them. "Oh great," Alan said. "Don't tell me that The Grey have a Grey Lantern now."

"Whatever the case may be, Lantern, it's crucial we take him down." Alan nodded and flew with Hawkgirl towards Nathaniel, who readied his ring. As Hawkgirl attacked with her mace, he dodged and aimed his ring towards the duo, not taking Batman into account. The Dark Knight threw a Bat Grenade at the Grey's Agent while he wasn't looking. This sent him flying towards the Flash, who spun his fist and punched him towards Green Lantern. Alan charged up a blast, prompting Nathaniel to put up a shield and brace for impact.

The surge from Alan's ring sent Nathaniel a good distance, making him hit a building. He decided that now was the time for a counterattack and figured he could take out Hawkgirl and Green Lantern. He saw Flash and Batman as his main troubles despite this Batman being older than the last one. He focused on the ring to see if he could make constructs from his energy. He got an energy turret on his arm and aimed it at the Flash, who was running towards him getting another punch ready. He fired the turrets and hit the Speed Demon, causing him to crash. He went up into the air and aimed his blaster at Hawkgirl, who was coming at him with her mace again. He hit her wings and caused her to crash near Flash.

Nathaniel looked around, but there was no sign of Green Lantern or Batman. He turned around, but before he could even aim the construct, Alan had punched him in the face while Batman used a grappling hook on him to bring him down. Not too soon after that, the janitor-turned-Lantern's-enemy broke free of Batman's line, grabbed him using the power he had from The Grey, and tossed him towards Alan. He then charged up an energy attack, but Alan fired off a barrage of shots, making him lose his concentration. Afterwards, he was caught in a windstorm caused by the Flash.

This windstorm eventually got him in Hawkgirl's range. She gave him a couple of solid hits with her mace, but he grabbed her wrist and head-butted her, which was then followed by a kick. Green Lantern slammed Nathaniel with a bat and sent him flying towards a building. When he got close to the ground, he was getting punched repeatedly by the Flash. Nathaniel got tired of it and kicked Jay back before making a strategic retreat, knowing that he couldn't beat them right now. "Who was that guy?" asked Alan.

"I don't know, but it was obvious he was new to all of this," answered Jay.

"Well for a greenhorn, he didn't do too badly," Hawkgirl commented before turning towards Batman. "That is the correct term, isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes it is," the Dark Knight answered.

* * *

><p>Back with Nathaniel, he found a safe spot to recover and replenish his energy. Since he hasn't gotten much exercise in the muscle department, his pulse was beating rapidly. He had never gotten this kind of workout before and it was about to kill him for two reasons: 1) his poor health; and 2) he knew about this Batman's willingness to kill when necessary. When he thought of it, the one thing he had to fear was a common one for all enemies of any hero and that is Batman himself. It didn't matter who was wearing the cowl. <em>'Why did you run?'<em> asked the voice from earlier.

"I…kind of…had…no other…choice. Batman…would've…killed me," Nathaniel answered, breathing heavily.

'_Ah, so it's not The Green's agent that you're afraid of. It's the Batman. At least you don't fear our true enemy. Our other agent is named Grundy. He is a zombie who will aid anyone associated with The Green. Let him deal with Batman while you take care of the Green's avatar.'_ Nathaniel nodded and went underground to rest and recover while waiting for Grundy.

* * *

><p>In the meantime, Batman, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, and Flash were searching for him in hopes of finding out his identity. So far, there had been no sign of him. This was irritating Alan, who wanted to get this over with. "Any luck, guys?" he asked.<p>

"_Sorry, Lantern, no luck here,"_ said Hawkgirl.

"_Same here,"_ Flash said.

"_Batman?"_ asked Green Lantern.

"Not in the whole finding him department, but I did find something about him," said Batman.

"_Well anything's good, Bats,"_ Jay said.

"It turns out that our 'Grey Lantern' is actually a janitor at Star Labs named Nathaniel Dement. He wasn't just new to using the ring; he hasn't even fought an ordinary human before, much less take on one plus three super-powered beings."

"_So what you're saying is that we're basically dealing with a kid, is that it?"_ Lantern asked.

"I'm afraid so." Green Lantern growled at this until his ring started resonating.

"Guys, I think I have a lock on him. It feels like he's with someone else."

* * *

><p>Back underground, Nathaniel had fully recovered his strength thanks to the ring. He traveled among the sewers to avoid detection from the heroes, but he knew that the Green Lantern could find him. When he made it to a larger part of it, he saw a zombie with two sashes in an 'X' pattern across his torso and torn pants. His back had a couple of blades sticking out of it. "You Grey's new agent. Me Grundy," he said, introducing himself.<p>

"Then you must be the agent that the Grey was talking about," said Nathaniel. Grundy nodded before the new agent continued. "I came across a little problem while I was facing Green Lantern. His friends, the Flash, Hawkgirl, and Batman, were here as well. I can maybe handle Hawkgirl and Green Lantern on my own, but I need help with Flash and Batman."

"Grundy take care of them. You focus on Lantern."

* * *

><p>Back on the surface, the four heroes found the lid to the sewers that Nathaniel had went through. They tried to open it, but they found out quickly that he had welded it shut. Not even Lantern and Batman could remove it and they were the strongest out of all of them. "Damn. He welded it tight," said Alan. His ring started resonating again. "Then again, I don't think we need to go there. Take a look." The other heroes saw that Grundy was approaching them.<p>

"I guess you three had to deal with him before?" asked Batman.

"You got it, Batman." Before Lantern and Hawkgirl could move, they were slung into the air. They looked and saw that Nathaniel had recovered. Lantern started the fight by firing energy blasts, which Nathaniel countered with a shield. Hawkgirl followed up by hitting the shield and sending him to the street. Before he hit the pavement, though, he recovered and flew up to Alan with a bat construct ready to hit him. Alan cut the bat with a sword construct, which Hawkgirl followed up with an attack of her own. Nathaniel got out of the way this time, grabbed her, and sent her plummeting down to the ground, knocking her out cold.

Flash saw what happened, but he and Batman were occupied with Grundy at the moment. The zombie stomped his foot on the ground and caused some hands to appear and grab the two heroes by their ankles. Due to his speed, Flash was able to kick the hands on his ankles off and charge for Grundy. He kept pelting the Grey's agent with rapid punches until he had enough. Grundy was finally able to slam the speedster with his arm and send him flying towards a car, knocking him unconscious for a bit. He looked back at Batman's position to find he wasn't there. He looked up, only to have the Dark Knight kick him in the face. Batman sent a couple of batarangs at him. Grundy blocked it, only to have them explode on his arm.

Back in the air, Nathaniel and Alan were keeping up with each other, which was an improvement on the former's part considering that he had a tougher time keeping up with him earlier (due to also having to deal with Flash, Hawkgirl, and Batman). Right now, the two were clashing swords with Alan trying to reach out to him. "Nathaniel, I know it's you. Why are you working for The Grey?" he asked.

"They said I had great potential. I have no other choice, Green Lantern!" Nathaniel exclaimed, pushing Lantern back. "One minute I'm curious enough to pick a lock on a door because I see some scientist going through a wall. The next, I'm wearing a grey version of what you wear."

"So that's it? The Grey is just using you, kid. You've got to snap out of it!"

"Actually…I kind of like this power. Sure, we're enemies, but it doesn't change my view about it. By the way, who told you my name? I don't ever recall mentioning it?" It was then that it dawned on him. "Batman," he said.

"Well before you get to Batman, you'll have to deal with me!" Alan exclaimed, hitting Nathaniel with a hammer.

Back on the ground, Batman was doing his best to keep dodging Grundy, but he was just worn down. Grundy finally grabbed him, but the Flash woke up and saw what was happening. He knew Hawkgirl was safe for now, so he rushed up and slammed Grundy hard in the back, causing him to drop the Dark Knight and go a good distance. Grundy got angry and charged back at the Flash, but the speedster spun around him fast enough to create a cyclone. Batman had enough strength for one more move, and then he'd have to call it a night. He used it to throw a bat grenade and hit the Grey's agent dead on. This, combined with a power-packed punch from the Flash, knocked him out cold. Flash then looked at the Dark Knight with concern. "Batman, are you alright?" the speed demon asked.

"I'm fine. Go check on Hawkgirl," he said. Flash gave him a nod and set him on a bench before going to check on his winged companion.

Up in the air, Nathaniel created a couple of giant hands with his ring to smash Green Lantern, but he picked bad timing for it. Alan fired an energy blast that sent him flying away and made him lose focus. He knew they wouldn't be seeing Nathaniel for a while. It still pained him to know that he'd have to do that to a kid, much less a kid associated with The Grey. He descended to the bench that Batman was sitting on just as Flash brought Hawkgirl there. "What happened to the kid?" Flash asked.

"I sent him flying. It's a shame. A little curiosity and he comes across that power. If only we weren't enemies, he'd make a good teammate," answered Green Lantern.

"That is a shame."

"Where's Grundy?"

"We took care of him. Hopefully, he dies on a Saturday and gets buried on Sunday," answered Batman. As Jay carried Hawkgirl, Alan used his ring to carry Batman. The heroes then made their way to show the Dark Knight their shared base.

* * *

><p>Green Lantern had sent Nathaniel to a cemetery outside of Gotham City. Once he recovered, he looked around and started freaking out. He used his ring as a flashlight and was spooked by the gargoyles and tombstones in the cemetery. He came across two that interested him. One of them read 'Here Lies Sam Zhao: a Good Man and a Good Friend.' The other read 'Batman: Feared by Many, Loved by Many More.' "Sam Zhao?" he asked himself. "Green Lantern must've sent me here on purpose. I might be crazy, but he might be Alan Scott. He was Sam's lover and one of the few survivors of that train wreck in China. But who was Batman?" he wondered as he looked at the original Batman's statue.<p>

The tombstone was actually a tomb itself. He opened the door to it and went inside. He saw a black coffin with the original Batman's insignia on it. "Maybe this will tell me who the current Batman is." He opened up the coffin and saw the dead Dark Knight lying peacefully in the coffin. The body was preserved, so no bone was showing. He lifted the cowl from over his face, only to get the shock of a lifetime. "No way," he said, astonished. "The original Batman…was Bruce Wayne?"

'_Nathaniel Dement,'_ said the voice inside the ring. _'I see that you're up.'_

"Yeah, after Green Lantern sent me here."

'_It seems you will need more training. Your curiosity has allowed you to discover the identity of the original Batman of this world. That is most impressive.'_

"I shouldn't have opened this tomb. I have to put the cowl back on and close the lid and the door before Batman or someone else discovers what happened."

'_After you do that, I'm sending you to a parallel Earth for your training with the ring. You should get enough practice in.'_ Nathaniel nodded at the suggestion. He put the cowl back over Bruce's face, closed the coffin, closed the door and was teleported to the parallel Earth that the voice was talking about.

* * *

><p>On Earth Prime, Nathaniel arrived there with a flash of light. It was daytime and he saw that he was in their version of Coast City. "Uh, weird voice of the ring?" he asked. "If this is the parallel Earth you talked about, it looks a lot better than mine."<p>

TO BE CONTINUED…

CHAPTER 3 END

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so that was the part that introduced not only my buddy's OC Nathaniel Dement and got him on the path to becoming the Silver Lantern, but it also brought in Earth 2's Flash (Jay Garrick), Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders), and Batman II (Thomas Wayne). The next part is going to feature Logan teaming up with the Green Lantern Corp's own Hal Jordan and complete Nathaniel's path to becoming the said Silver Lantern.<strong>

**More New 52 facts: I revealed the identities and backstories of Earth 2's Flash and Green Lantern for you. Kendra Saunders is an archaeologist who became the Hawkgirl of Earth 2 after having a pair of wings grafted onto her back during an expedition. Also on Earth 2, Thomas Wayne was revealed to be alive, but played dead so that Bruce could mature (Martha still died, though). Once Bruce found out, he disowned him. This didn't stop Thomas from trying to reconnect with the family, even with his granddaughter Helena, who became Bruce's Robin until she and their world's Supergirl got sent to Earth Prime, in which case, they became Huntress and Power Girl respectively. Helena even uses the surname Bertinelli while the real one is working with Dick Grayson at Spyral.**

**Sorry if I'm wasting your time with this info, but other than Dick's costume as Nightwing (wish they had stuck with the blue bird), I'm pretty fond of the New 52.**


	4. Rise of the Silver Lantern Pt 2

**Rise of the Silver Lantern Pt. 2**

Logan had just arrived in Coast City upon request of the Justice League. He knew that something was up ever since he and Cammy called the Watchtower for help to deal with the Outlaws. He was waiting for the reason they called him when there was a commotion downtown. The sky was dark, so when he got there, it was the perfect setting for this enemy. It was a zombie with white hair on his head wearing torn black clothes, knives on his back, and a noose around his neck. The zombie was a good size as well. "Look, pal, I don't know who you're trying to fool, but Halloween's not for a while," the Assassin said, getting the zombie's attention.

The undead man leapt and tried to tackle Logan, but he used the Flash Step to move out of the way. He left a bomb, which exploded under the zombie and caused him to fall on the ground. Logan went to see if he could grab the 'mask' off of him, but the zombie smacked him away. The zombie charged towards him, but ran face-first into a brick wall. Logan saw that the wall was a green construct. He looked up and saw a man in a green aura wearing a black uniform with a green top, green domino mask, and white gloves and boots. His hair was brown and combed to the right. He recognized the insignia on his chest as that of a Green Lantern. "Thanks for the save," he said.

"No problem. I'll tell you who this guy is after we beat him. For right now, I need your help to take him down," the Lantern said, getting a nod from Logan. "I will tell you this: he's a genuine zombie."

"You're joking, right?" the Green Lantern looked at him with a stoic look on his face. "Oh, you're serious." He gathered up energy for a special move that he hasn't had to use around a Justice Leaguer yet. "Chidori…Shoryuken!" he exclaimed, punching the zombie twice in the face before doing the signature uppercut. The Green Lantern made a large hammer construct and hit him back down, knocking him out. "Okay, Lantern, who was that?"

"His name from when he was still alive was Cyrus Gold. He was a mob boss and the worst of the worst. One day, the people killed him, but he was eventually resurrected as a zombie. His name now is Solomon Grundy."

"As in the old nursery rhyme?" asked Logan. The Lantern nodded.

"I know you have knowledge of the different Lantern Corps. The name's Hal Jordan, one of the 5 Green Lanterns of Sector 2814, which includes Earth," Hal said, introducing himself.

"Logan Washburn. So do you mind telling me why the League had me come here?"

"You're talking to him. The reason is this: Ollie figures that you could make a good ally for the League, but some of us have doubts about that on account of your killing streak. The reason I volunteered to meet you personally was because you hate to kill, so you only do it when you have to, is that right?" Logan nodded. "I also volunteered because you already knew John and Kyle before they became Green Lanterns and I guess Ollie told you about Guy's arrogance."

"That's why I picked Red Robin over him when my girlfriend and I were facing Red Hood and his Outlaws."

"Smart. Gardner's big mouth would've spelled trouble for you guys. How would you like to come with me to work tomorrow?" Hal offered.

"Sounds great…as long as I get to do the checklist," Logan said. Hal looked at him confusedly. "I have acrophobia, which essentially means that I can't go that high without freaking out unless I have an objective to do."

"Oh I get you. Don't worry. I'll be the one doing the flying. You just sit by with whatever Carol Ferris gives you and you'll be good."

"Thanks. By the way, you said Earth has 5 Green Lanterns. Who's the 5th one?"

"His name's Simon Baz. He's a new recruit from Detroit."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Nathaniel was in a cave in the desert training to get used to his ring. The voice of The Grey had told him that The Green was their enemy, bent on destroying the universe and that he was their hope, but he needed to train. Getting his butt handed to him by Alan, Batman, Flash, and Hawkgirl had him focus more on the practice. He didn't realize that he'd be facing another version of his enemy and making a new rival at the same time. That's right. This is the same desert that Ferris Aircraft uses to test their engines. Nathaniel concentrated on the simple flight test. He flew around the air doing a few simple stunts before returning to the cave. The voice from The Grey told him that he was on his own for the training.<p>

The next thing he did was use the ring to lift up a few rocks and throw them. He set up rock piles with each of the insignias for the heroes that beat him…well two of them anyway. The only ones he didn't use insignias for were Batman and Alan. He had the Flash's giant lightning bolt and a pair of makeshift wings on the 'Hawkgirl' pile. He made a pair of revolving turrets on his hands and opened fire at them. After firing and disintegrating both piles, he pondered on a question that had been on his mind. _'Why didn't I make a pile for Batman and Green Lantern?'_ he thought.

He eventually came across his own answer. _'It can't be because of some newfound respect for them, could it? I better rest up so I can fly some more tomorrow.'_ With that, he went back to the cave and got some rest.

* * *

><p>The next day was bright and hot, but that didn't stop the staff of Ferris Aircraft from testing their machines. Hal took Logan to the main hangar and brought him to Carol's office. She was a lovely young lady who wore a women's business suit and had her hair past her shoulders. Hal knocked on her door to get her attention. "Hey, Carol, what would you like for me to test out today?" he asked.<p>

"Hal, I'm awfully busy filling out this paperwork. It'll be a bit," said Carol. "On top of that, the _Daily Planet's_ Lois Lane is going to be here to interview the place, so that could be a bit longer."

"I brought a friend of mine along to help with the flight tests. He could do the checklists while you take care of the paperwork and interview." Hal's suggestion finally drew Carol's attention to Logan. "This is Logan Washburn. The League has me working with him to find out more about him. This way, we can figure out how we can all work with him."

"You mean he knows that you're a Green Lantern."

"The same goes with John, Guy, Kyle, and Simon as well. Like I said, he can take care of the checklist part of the test flight while you deal with Ms. Lane." Carol thought about it, smiled, and nodded.

"Okay, Logan, these are the jets that Hal's going to be flying. There are a total of five. You boys can do three, take a break for lunch, and then do the last two. I'm a little nervous about this, but I'm sure you can handle it. Just take a look at the lists for the specs of the plane. Did you get all of that?" she asked.

"Yes, Ms. Ferris," said Logan.

"Don't worry, Carol, we got everything under control."

"I hope so, Hal."

* * *

><p>The next thing they knew, Hal was doing his usual stunts while Logan was holding the clipboard wearing a pair of sunglasses that Cammy bought him as a gift. "Okay, Hal, what's the top speed for that engine?" he asked.<p>

"_Top speed is at 195,"_ said Hal over the communicators. Logan looked up and saw that Hal did a quadruple spin.

"And that's why I'm not going up in one of those things. I guess I can give the handling 4 out of 5?"

"_I prefer a perfect score."_

"Sorry, but Ms. Ferris is having me keep your ego grounded." Logan chuckled when he heard Hal swear. "I didn't make the rules, Jordan. I'm just doing what she told me to do. Is there any turbulence?"

"_Yes, there's turbulence. Apparently, it's from Superman flying around because it's rougher than usual. In fact, Carol designed this particular plane to not go through it."_

"Well, bring it back in so we can check it out." Hal did as instructed and they inspected the plane. They saw nothing wrong with the plane or the engine, but that's when Logan picked up some sort of Spirit Energy. "Hey, Hal, can you use your ring to scan the plane? I'm picking up an unfamiliar Spirit Energy and I want to be safe."

Hal almost did as requested until he saw Carol with another woman, whom he figured to be Lois Lane. She had her hair in the same manner as Carol's and she wore a purple version of what she did. Hal indicated to Logan with a nod of his head that using the ring would be a bad idea. Lois noticed them, but mistaken Logan for a staff member. "Excuse me, but can you spare a moment of your time?" she asked him.

"Sorry, Miss Lane, but I'm not the one you should talk to. The pilot here is Hal Jordan," he said, directing her to Hal. "I'm just a guest."

"Oh I'm so sorry sir." She then turned to Hal. "Excuse me, Mr. Jordan, do you care for an interview?" Hal glared at Logan, who had a smirk on his face, and Carol, who could barely hold in her laughter. He relented and agreed to do the interview. Logan handed Carol the specs on the jet Hal drove and told her about the Spirit Energy he found on the plane from the turbulence.

* * *

><p>After the interview and the remaining test flights, the sky shown that it was sundown. They called it a day, and after Lois left, Hal kicked in his power ring, putting him in his Green Lantern uniform. Logan understood the need for the domino mask since Kyle Rayner had one for the same reason: it was to hide their secret identity from the world. Gardner never got this concept and John claimed that he had nothing to hide. Hal scanned the plane and found the strange energy that Logan was talking about. "I'll check the sky to see about the turbulence there," he said.<p>

He scanned the sky and found the same aura that was on the plane. He was about to radio Logan, but he saw a glowing grey thing. "Hey, Logan, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" he asked through his ring.

Logan looked through his binoculars until he saw what Hal was talking about. "Yeah, I see it. I'm on my way," said the Assassin. Using his super speed, he caught up to Hal pretty quickly.

* * *

><p>As Logan was heading there, Nathaniel was practicing his flying again. The voice from before spoke up again. <em>'Nathaniel, one of our enemies is here. It is the Green Lantern,'<em> it said. He turned around and saw Hal. However, because of the green aura around him, the voice convinced him that he was their enemy. He charged up a blast and fired at the Green Lantern, who put up a shield and withstood the attack.

Logan saw what was happening, so he used his Flash Step and bounced off the ground. Using his chain blade, he hooked onto Nathaniel's ankle and pulled him down. This stopped the blast on Hal since it caused him to lose concentration. Logan fired his other chain blade, attaching it to a cliff, and tried to pull the grey-covered kid to the ground. Hal assisted by using the same hammer construct he used on Grundy and knocking Nathaniel to the ground. Logan flipped backwards and landed on his feet just as the former janitor was getting up. Nathaniel formed a sword construct and clashed with Logan, who got his own sword out.

As the two of them were clashing swords, Logan saw that Hal was ready to fire a blast, but didn't want to hit him. He kicked Nathaniel's leg and put him in a headlock, making him face Hal, who hit him with the blast he charged up. Logan jumped up in the air just as the blast made contact. It sent Nathaniel back a few feet, but he recovered and was ready to attack again. He quickly charged and fired a blast at both the Assassin and the Green Lantern, both of which had to dodge. "Have you seen this guy before?!" Logan asked. "His powers are like yours, but more dull!"

"I can see that! No I haven't seen him before! There's no such thing as a Grey Lantern Corp.!" explained Hal.

"I don't know what his weakness is, but I think I know a way to disable him for a bit! I need you to buy me some time!" Hal nodded, noting that anything but death is acceptable. Logan jumped and Flash Stepped behind Nathaniel and stabbed him in the right shoulder with his sword, which was the side that the ring was on, and knocked him out. He took care not to sever his arm. The Grey's aura dispelled and revealed Nathaniel's true look. Hal was just as shocked as Logan was. "You've got to be kidding me. He can't be much older than me."

"Better take him somewhere safe, preferably not the hangar." Logan nodded, picked Nathaniel up over his shoulder, and carried him.

* * *

><p>In Nathaniel's subconscious, the voice had contacted him. They were discussing what to do to trick the two heroes. <em>'Nathaniel, you must gain the trust of The Green's avatar. He must believe you to be possessed in the aura form. I will bind the ring to you so they can't take it off,'<em> it said.

"I don't think this Green Lantern is allied with The Green. His power must be an artificial force," said Nathaniel.

'_Hmm…your curiosity has served you well once again. First, you picked a locked door to a lab you had no authorization to enter, and then you discovered the identities of both The Green's agent and the original Batman. You'll have to discover if this Lantern's is the same as the one from our dimension.'_ Nathaniel nodded before being drawn back to consciousness.

* * *

><p>When he woke up, he saw that he was back in his cave, but was tied with a rope to a stalagmite. He tried to break free, but the green that the rope was made of indicated that this was a construct of the Green Lantern's imagination. "Great. No getaway for me this time," he mused to himself.<p>

"You're right, buddy. There isn't," said a voice. He looked around until he saw Hal leaning on a wall. "My power is based on will. The stronger my will, the stronger my constructs," Hal explained. "I have a pretty strong will, which means that you won't be getting out of there anytime soon."

"You sound different from the Green Lantern from my world. Are you sure you're not Alan Scott?"

"I'm not Alan Scott. I never even heard of him."

"So if you're not Alan Scott, then who are you?" asked Nathaniel.

"Sorry, kid. That's classified information," Hal stated. Just then, Logan entered the cave.

"I see he's awake," the Assassin said. He had some food with him, knowing that Nathaniel might be hungry. "Boy oh boy, my little lady sure knows how to make a good turkey sandwich. Do you want one?" he asked with a smirk.

"That would be very much appreciated, thank you," Nathaniel answered. Logan held out the sandwich just where it was out of Nathaniel's reach.

"First, we need some information."

"What do you want to know?"

"We'd like to know who you are, where you came from, and how you got that power."

"Not to mention how you know a Green Lantern I never heard of," Hal added.

"My name is Nathaniel, but my friends call me Nate. I come from a parallel universe where there's a different Green Lantern and a different Batman. I'm assuming that there's a different Flash and Hawkgirl as well."

"I wouldn't know unless you know your Hawkgirl's identity. I can't reveal the one here," Hal said, using a lie detector construct. Nathaniel knew he had to sound like he wasn't lying.

"Right, classified information," he said. "As for gaining this power, the force behind the ring possesses me and causes me to attack heroes, more notably my world's Green Lantern. Unfortunately, he bound the ring to me so it won't be removed."

"Yeah, I noticed. I tried it myself. From the looks of things, your explanation seems legit. We'll see what we can do for you, but in the meantime, you'll need someone to keep you in check. Logan here is an extra-personal ally to the Justice League. He'll keep an eye on you to make sure you don't get possessed by that strange force." Logan looked at Hal with the same glare that he gave him and Carol earlier.

"Whatever works, Green Lantern."

* * *

><p>After a bit, the probation started. They decided that 'Grey Lantern' wasn't a good enough name for someone to have with that kind of power, so Logan suggested 'Silver Lantern'. Hal and Nate agreed with it. The latter mentally told The Grey's voice to make the grey look more polished like silver, to which the voice agreed. When they got back to the city, they saw that Arsenal was in town. Logan went to talk to Roy while Hal watched over Nate. "What's going on, Harper?" he asked.<p>

"Batman's new sidekick is trying out for the covert ops team that Aqualad leads," the ex-Speedy said. "I'm looking to join as well since Star's out to reconnect with her old teammates, including Raven."

"I didn't know she was doing that. What about Hood?" Roy looked and saw that Nate was in the presence, which meant that he had to use Jason's codename.

"The Red Hood went AWOL. He's been missing ever since he broke out of the holding cells in the you-know-what. I'm looking to try and get back on the team as well, but I know I can't take Nightwing's place. I'm nothing like him or GA."

"Well where's Bluebird now?" Just as Logan asked that, a girl in a blue uniform arrived. She wore a black utility belt, a metallic corset and domino mask, and black jacket. Her hair was shaved on the sides and the back. On her utility belt was a holster for her pistol while she carried a larger gun on her back. Having not seen her before, Roy and Hal were shocked. Logan smirked while Nate was confused. "Talk about easy on the eyes."

"I thought you had a girlfriend," Roy said.

"I was talking about the guns. Once again, Batman's got another one who could scare the living daylights out of someone."

"Yeah, but with guns? Logan, Batman never lets anyone in his family use guns."

"Neither does Green Arrow, but he keeps you around. I'm more into swords, but I'm actually interested in working with her, as well as our new Silver Lantern over there." Roy looked to see that he was talking about Nate. "This is going to be fun, Arsenal. Trust me."

Bluebird approached the duo just as Hal and Nate rejoined them. "Bluebird reporting for training," she said. Roy gave him a smirk that told him 'military attitude knocks a few points off'. "Are you the ones I'll be working with?"

"So it's teamwork with others besides Batman and Red Robin, huh?" Bluebird nodded. "Well originally, it was just going to be Arsenal you'd be working with. However, due to circumstances that were out of mine and Green Lantern's control, you'll also be working with us." Bluebird was shocked, but nodded nonetheless. "I suggest we get started now."

TO BE CONTINUED…

CHAPTER 4 END

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so Nate, Logan, Hal, and Arsenal have met Bluebird, Batman's latest sidekick who didn't take the Robin name out of respect (I assume). Of course, Logan and Hal had to team up against Nate beforehand and Solomon Grundy before that. The conclusion to the mini-story is next.<strong>

**Just so you know, Bluebird's real name is Harper Row. She and her brother Cullen grew up in a life of poverty, abuse, and abandonment. For some reason I don't know, Cullen tried to get her to court Tim Drake (Red Robin). Her skills include Survival, Electrical Engineering, Firearms (surprisingly, Batman lets her use them), and Hand-to-Hand Combat. This is not an OC of mine.**


	5. Rise of the Silver Lantern Pt 3

**Rise of the Silver Lantern Pt. 3**

The impromptu squadron of 5 had just gotten their first assignment from the Justice League for Bluebird's initiation. Led by Hal with Logan holding second-in-command, they were to infiltrate LexCorp and discover any plans of Lex Luthor's that would be against the League. That way, they could stay one step ahead of him. This mission was assigned by Superman, who slightly trusted the Assassin, but still had his doubts. Hal flew them all to Metropolis, which was Superman's city, while Hal and Logan thought of a plan to find out what Lex was planning. "Just out of curiosity, how are we going to get in?" Nathaniel asked. Bluebird and Arsenal looked at them for the answer.

"We're working on that, Nate," Logan answered. He was getting tired of his curiosity, but then a thought hit him. Hal brought them to the top of a building not too far from there at the same time. "I think I have an idea, guys."

"Shoot. I'm open for suggestions," said the Green Lantern.

"We can use Nathaniel's curiosity to get info on this ordeal. It can be fed through to Hal's ring. Arsenal and Bluebird can keep watch and guard him. Superman did say that he wanted Bluebird involved as much as possible. This should get you on the covert ops team." Arsenal let loose a smile and patted Batman's newest apprentice on the back while she was shocked. "The reason I assigned you two on guard duty is because your guns would give you away and Arsenal's a loose cannon and proud of it. Lex knows who I am on account of the fact that I imploded buildings in both Los Angeles and Berlin that belong to Abstergo Industries."

"You mean the Templars, don't you?" Arsenal asked, getting a nod from the Assassin. Hal was thinking the plan over and trying to see if there were any flaws in it. So far, he could think of none.

"That sounds good to me. Are you good with that, Nate?"

"Yes sir, Green Lantern," Nate answered.

"That's good. Let's get this done with." After Nathaniel got a few feet away from them and towards the LexCorp building, Hal turned to Logan. "Follow him. Whatever force is in that ring could cut off the link. It's crucial we get every bit of this plan if we're to succeed." Logan nodded and took a different route to the LexCorp building. He went underground.

* * *

><p>Inside, Nate found the receptionist and asked for Luthor. Once the elevator door opened, Lex was standing inside of it, inviting the 'Silver' Lantern in. This was all while Logan stayed under the radar. He traveled through the air vents and listened in on their conversation, making sure to have his newly-developed recording gloves ready for Hal on the other end. He also wore a miniature camera over his eye. "…I have to say, Mr. Luthor, that it's an honor to finally meet you. I happen to be from a different universe and I never got to meet the Lex Luthor there personally. I heard he was quite the hero," Nate said.<p>

Logan could hear Hal chuckling from the other end of the line. "Well thank you, son. I don't think the Justice League, especially Superman, would agree with you, though. Let me ask you something, Nathaniel," said Lex. "Have you ever wondered what it was like saving the world from behind a desk? I can guarantee you that it's not easy, especially when you have enemies that do a similar strategy. Since you see me as one of your idols, do you wish to see a secret?"

"Yes sir, I'd be honored." It was at that time, the link between Nate's ring and Hal's was cut off. Luckily, Logan was a contingency plan should this happen. Lex opened the curtain and revealed an army of robots with staffs similar to the once used in the Patrol Corp. at the Soul Society. The difference was that these were electrified. "Whoa. What is all of this?"

"This, my boy, is an advanced robotic police force. LexCorp has access to advanced, state-of-the-art technology just like the engineers at Wayne Enterprise. I'll be running for president, Nathaniel. I can't guarantee you that I would win, but if I do, these machines will go online. With them, we'll have no need for the Justice League. This especially goes for the likes of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Green Lantern Corp. These robots will seek to protect the United States and all over the world. With crime eliminated, the Justice League will no longer be needed. Of course, I'm sure that Batman will be stubborn in the end, but in the end, even he must retire."

"Hal, did you get all of that?" Logan whispered.

"_Yeah, I did. I think we know enough. I have it all on this computer. I'll hand one flash drive to you when you get back here and one more for the League,"_ said Hal.

"Got it, but save one for Batman. I have a personal assignment for Bluebird." After that, Logan saw Nathaniel and Lex shaking hands and saying goodbye. The Assassin decided that leaving through the same way he came in was out of the options given that this was Lex Luthor he was dealing with. He decided on the upper levels. He knew that Lex would send some of his robots his way, but at least he wasn't going to be as cramped when he had to deal with them.

Sure enough, once Nathaniel left, Luthor turned to his lovely assistant Mercy Graves. "Mercy, send some of our robots to the roof. We have a spy amongst us and he's trying to bail out," he said. Mercy bowed and activated four of the robots. Luthor thought this was adequate since he knew the tactics of the stealthy League members like the Covert Ops team. He didn't know that it was Logan spying on them.

Once Logan got to the roof, he saw the robots that Luthor sent. He only shook his head since he predicted this move. The 24-year-old got his sword out and used his Flash Step, slashing each one in half and leaving a trick knife in the optical sensor, blowing up their heads. "Nice try, Lex," he said without turning backwards or smirking.

* * *

><p>The squad regrouped together and reviewed the plans. The more they looked at it, the more it frustrated Hal, Logan, and Roy. While Bluebird was still learning more about the League's enemies, she couldn't understand why they were so irritated. Nathaniel knew that the force behind the ring was responsible for cutting his and Hal's link off, so he was a little mad that Logan was spying on him and Luthor. Hal uploaded the data onto three flash drives for the League, Batman, and Logan. "Okay, guys, here you go. This contains all of the audio and video recording of Lex and Nate's conversation. I don't know if Nate cut the connection between me and him or if it was the force of the ring. That's why I sent Logan just in case," Hal said.<p>

"But why did you hand me a flash drive?" asked Bluebird.

"Ask Logan."

"It's because I need you to get it to Batman. Once you do, tell him to look it over and send it to Agent 37," Logan said, confusing the others. There was only one person he could tell about who Agent 37 is. Bluebird nodded anyways. "Arsenal, I'd like to talk to you in private before I send you with her." Roy nodded before going with him a good distance. As usual, Nathaniel got curious as to the conversation, but Hal stopped him.

They got about three buildings away from the group before they decided to talk. "Okay, Logan, what's this about? Who's Agent 37?" Arsenal asked.

"Promise you won't freak out on this one?" Roy was unsure, but nodded anyways. "Agent 37…is Dick Grayson."

"You're joking. You've got to be. Dick's dead. Batman said so."

"I know he told you that, Roy, but Dick is very much alive. After the Crime Syndicate incident, Batman wanted to see if Dick still had some fight in him. From what I could tell through my Spirit Sense, they even wrecked the Batmobile during their sparring match. Believe it or not, Dick won and reluctantly accepted this mission. He's infiltrated the ranks at Spyral to take them down from the inside out before they unmask every hero. However, Dick's also had some nutty adventures with them that were absolutely humiliating. I can only imagine what he's going through now."

"So why hasn't Batman told anyone else?"

"Because, Roy, if he did, there's a good chance that an enemy agent would be among the ranks of the Justice League. Only me, Batman, and now you know. There's also a good chance Raven knows as well. We can't tell anyone else, not even Star. Raven knows that if she found out, she'd go berserk. The same goes with Jason, but for a different reason."

"Gotcha. Jason's so psycho that if he knew Dick was alive, he'd try and kill him. Okay, I won't tell anyone." After that, Roy and Bluebird left for Gotham City, leaving behind a concerned Logan, a confident Hal, and a curious Nate.

"So what'd you two talk about?" Nate asked.

"None of your business," Logan answered.

"Was it about Bluebird?"

"I just said that it's none of your business."

* * *

><p>The ride to Gotham City was quiet. Neither one of the vigilantes saw any trouble. They'd prefer to keep it that way. Bluebird was worried that she'd fail this assignment, even though she had just met Arsenal, Hal, Logan, and Nate. Roy saw this, but couldn't think of a way to make her less worried. Suddenly, a gas truck exploded on the bridge before they could make it. They got off their motorcycles to assess the damage while the chaos was running rampant. "Who could've done this?" Bluebird asked. Roy saw something on the parts of the tank.<p>

"Something's off. Someone didn't want us to cross that bridge," he said.

"What makes you say that?"

"There was a bullet hole made in the tanker. I only know two people with that kind of accuracy: Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot…" he began before a figure wearing bronze and dark grey armor and a mask to match appeared, "…and Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke."

"So the Bat has a new Bird. I'm amazed he actually allows you to use guns." Roy got his bow out and fired an arrow. He fired it, but Slade dodged. "Sorry, Arsenal, but you missed," the mercenary taunted.

"No I didn't." Slade's one eye widened as he looked at the arrow that the ex-Speedy fired before it exploded, sending him right into his range for a hit from his bow. Deathstroke retaliated by catching Arsenal's next strike and head-butting him. Before he could hit him again, the mercenary was shot in the arm by Bluebird. As he was charging for her, Roy recovered and used a pair of nunchuks to wrap around his neck. Deathstroke tossed him off, but got kicked in the stomach. He saw that Bluebird aimed her guns at him.

The next thing that happened, Arsenal and Bluebird didn't see coming. Slade tossed down some smoke bombs, which gave him a tactical advantage. He punched them both in the stomach, grabbed them, and threw them onto the ground. He followed up by stomping Arsenal's chest, causing him to yell out in pain. Deathstroke saw that he was reaching his left arm behind his back, so he stepped on that as well. That was a ruse, however, as Arsenal got out a Shock Arrow and stabbed it into Slade's leg, shocking him.

Bluebird dug into her utility belt and tossed a propulsion batarang onto the mercenary and sent him flying into the sky. Both vigilantes were worn down from the beating that he gave them, mostly Roy, though. They got back onto their motorcycles and headed to the batcave from there. Arsenal saw that Bluebird was freaked out by their opponent. "Don't worry. He tormented the original Robin as well," he said.

"I didn't need to know that," she said.

* * *

><p>They got to a certain part of Gotham before she turned to Roy. "Thanks for the assist, Arsenal, but I'll be safe from here," she said. That's when it occurred to him that this was one of Batman's many entrances to the Batcave. He smiled and shook her hand. Once he left, the entrance, which was a dumpster in Downtown Gotham, opened and she rode on through.<p>

After riding the long tunnel, she got to the main cave itself. She saw Batman sitting there looking on his computer for any criminal activity. She also saw Alfred serving him tea as well. "Thanks, Alfred," Batman said.

"Yes, Master Bruce," the butler replied. "Miss Harper, welcome back. Would you like something to drink?"

"No thanks, Alfred. I have to show Mr. Wayne something."

"What is it you have to show me?" She dug into her boot and pulled out the flash drive that Logan gave her. Surprisingly, it was still in good condition considering that they had fought Deathstroke.

"Arsenal and I ran into a bit of trouble before we got onto the bridge. This guy named Slade Wilson came after us for some reason. I think he wanted this," she explained as she handed Bruce the flash drive.

Bruce and Alfred looked the footage over and noticed that it was from one of the air vents at LexCorp. "Who was in the air vent?"

"Logan Washburn was." Batman narrowed his eyes when he heard the answer. He narrowed them even more when he saw Nate and Luthor shaking hands, even hearing the words 'I hope to work with you in the future, Nathaniel' coming from Luthor. "I haven't heard him say those words," Bluebird said.

"Who is Nathaniel?"

"I don't know much about him, other than the fact that he's a creep who calls himself the 'Silver Lantern'. Logan's his probation officer, and I guarantee you that he's not too crazy about being around him. Nathaniel fought Logan and the Green Lantern before they met up with me and Arsenal."

"Well he looks more grey than silver to me," Alfred remarked.

"I agree, Alfred. I guess the reason Logan had to record from the air vent was in case Nathaniel cut off communication between his and Hal's rings. Hal's smarter than he looks."

"Oh, one more thing," said Harper. "Logan said to show it to Agent 37 after you look at it." The statement surprised Batman and Alfred, who didn't know about Logan's Spirit Sense since 'Agent 37' failed to tell them about it. "Did I miss something here? Who's Agent 37? Is he the original Robin?"

Alfred thought for a moment before looking at Batman. "Should you tell her or should I, Master Bruce?" the butler asked.

The Dark Knight sighed before looking at Bluebird. "Sit down, Harper. This is going to be a long story."

* * *

><p>Logan set Nathaniel up in the cave outside of Coast City while he headed back to St. Louis. The big thought that bugged him was the fact that he and Luthor mentioned working together in the future. Sure, Luthor knew he was there, but it didn't mean he hated it any less. What really bothered him, though, was the ring. He knew for some reason that the sign on it was suspicious. He just couldn't place why. He went into his hideout and saw a certain Delta Red soldier. "Hey, Cammy, what's up?" he asked.<p>

"Not much, honey. How was Coast City?" she asked back.

"Hectic. It turns out that I had to team up with the Green Lantern Hal Jordan for this one. We took down a kid from a different dimension who we call the 'Silver Lantern', although, his aura is closer to grey. In addition to him, we also worked with Arsenal and Batman's newest apprentice Bluebird to find out what Lex Luthor is up to."

"You know, I never was too fond of Luthor." She kissed him on the lips. "Perhaps you need a break."

"After we look at this, I'll take you up on your offer." He proceeded to show Cammy the interaction between Nathaniel and Luthor. "Just so you know, I don't trust this guy." The more they listened to it, the more Cammy was shocked. She knew that Lex was going to try to take over the world using the Presidential position, but she didn't expect flat-out tyranny. "I know. I'm not savvy on Luthor either. In fact, LexCorp is a big organization I've always wanted to take down."

"Are there any corporations you don't want to take down?" Cammy asked.

"Queen Industries, Foxtech, Masters Corporation, and Wayne Enterprise," answered the Assassin.

"You have to send this to Bill and Chun-Li. They hate Luthor as much as you do."

"I'm already working on it. I'll send the file to Guile as well." Just then, a window came up on Logan's screen showing a man in a bat cowl. "Batman?"

"_Congratulations, Logan. You've earned my trust by sending Bluebird to me with the file. I let Spyral Agent 37 know about this. He's coming up with a plan to stop Luthor. The same goes with the Justice League. In the meantime, you have my thanks,"_ said the Dark Knight.

"What are we going to do about our so-called 'Silver Lantern'? In case Bluebird didn't tell you, I wound up being his parole officer thanks to Hal Jordan."

"_I know, and I'm sorry about that. You have every right not to trust him. Take a breather for now. You should team up with another hero when the time comes."_ With that, Batman hung up. Logan sat down slowly in his seat. Cammy saw that he was sweating bullets and figured that it had to do with Batman.

"Honey, are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine, Baby Doll. It's just that Batman's been one of my heroes for a long time. I met his first apprentice, Dick Grayson, twice. The first time was from his Robin days while the second was when he was Nightwing. But to speak to Batman directly is an honor. I'm amazed I didn't crack up."

"I suppose that's true. You sent the file to Guile and Chun-Li, right?" Logan nodded. "Good. Now how about we relax?"

* * *

><p>In the Watchtower, the Justice League was getting together to discuss what they were dealing with. It was obvious that Luthor powered these things with the weaknesses of every Leaguer except for the Flash. A good majority of them had crystals from Qward to counter the Green Lanterns while some had Kryptonite for Superman. None of the Leaguers liked this one bit. The ones holding the meeting were Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, the Martian Manhunter, Hal, the Flash, Black Canary, and John Stewart. "This isn't good," said Superman.<p>

This concerned the other Leaguers. "What are we going to do? With these robots active, Luthor has practically beaten us. If there is anyone who remotely tries to be a hero, they'll be taken down by these robots. It'll be a repeat of St. Louis and Karakura Town," said Wonder Woman.

"That's not just what bugs me, Diana," said Hal.

"You're worried about that 'Nathaniel' kid, aren't you?"

"Yeah, Clark, I am. This kid bugs the daylights out of me. No doubt Logan has a complete distrust for him. Remember that he was seen shaking hands with Luthor."

"What do you propose we do, Hal?" asked John. Everyone looked at the masked Green Lantern.

"Let's wait it out. In the meantime, we need to help Logan keep tabs on our 'Silver Lantern'." Everyone was in agreement, but once again, there were doubts about Logan's loyalty due to his job as an Assassin. They were visible on Wonder Woman and Aquaman knew that Aqualad would feel the same way.

* * *

><p>Back in the cave at the desert, Nathaniel was getting more and more frustrated with the fact that he couldn't get any info on Agent 37. The voice of the ring knew this as well. <em>"Calm yourself, Nathaniel. Given time, Luthor will have something for us again,<em>' it said.

"I hope so," said Nathaniel.

CHAPTER 5 END

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, now I can have Logan working with characters other than Nathaniel, Hal, and Arsenal again. A little heads-up, he'll work with Raven, Agent 37, and another character I haven't brought into this yet in the next chapter.<strong>


	6. Classic Grudge Match

**Classic Grudge Match**

Underneath the UN Headquarters lied a secret organization whose insignia was an eye within a spider web. This organization was Spyral, and it had two goals in mind: to take out the League of Shadows, and to unmask every superhero in the world, which put the Justice League as its prime target. Their leader, Kathy Webb-Kane, is responsible for giving the missions to the operatives while her assistant, Tiger, gave them the details. The latter, however, hates the newest operative, Agent 37, and as such, puts him in a handful of embarrassing situations should his activities under his previous codename surface.

Right now, Agent 37 and his partner and superior, Matron, were being debriefed about the plans that Hal Jordan and his small squad managed to acquire. After reviewing, Kathy had a disturbed look on her face; even though the organization's goal is to unmask all heroes, they also had a few anger issues with Lex Luthor and his company. What really disturbed Agent 37 was the conversation between both him and the 'Silver Lantern.' For one, they knew that there is no Silver Lantern Corp. in existence. Another thing is the last part where he and Luthor are shaking hands. After the plans were fully viewed, they gave a look to their newest agent. "Where did you get this, 37?" asked Kathy.

"I got it from an old friend of mine who was in the Green Lantern's squad. I've worked with him before to rescue another Justice Leaguer named Green Arrow in Tokyo. After that, Arrow and I were on a mission to blow up an Abstergo Industries base. We were knocked out, but the only one of us left standing managed to get the job done," 37 answered.

"I see. Ah yes, now I remember. You were still Nightwing back then, weren't you?" asked Tiger, surprising the agent. "At any rate, I assume you wish to pay this friend of yours a visit?"

"But what about that mechanical police force?"

"37, we're sending you to talk about how to deal with them. We're actually working with the Justice League on this one. You can take this mission alongside this friend of yours like old times, correct?"

"Yes, sir, I can."

"Good, and remember: Matron cannot go with you on this mission," said Kathy. Before 37 left, he was stopped again. "Oh, and Grayson, you might need your acrobatic skills for this one." The agent saw that their leader smirked and winked. He smirked back in response.

* * *

><p>In St. Louis, Logan and Chun-Li, who was visiting at the time, were discussing Luthor's plans as well. Like Cammy, Chun-Li knew the business tycoonPresidential candidate all too well. It disturbed her that Luthor would start this regime in the US if he won. Then he'd spread it across the globe. It would render Interpol, Delta Red, the Assassin's Guild, and the Justice League obsolete and herself, Logan, and Cammy without a job. It was unsettling, to say the least. "This is bad. A police force of robots that would extend Luthor's reach across the seas is a horrible thing. It's like he's planning to take away the freedoms of so many countries," she said.

"Tell me something I don't know. Lex is a madman and this officially solidifies it. I wonder if Nathaniel knows this and is working with him in secret or what he's doing," said Logan. Suddenly, the alarm went off and saw the city was under attack. "We'll have to worry about Luthor later. Right now, we've got trouble."

* * *

><p>They went outside and took to the roofs, seeing the people on the run. Logan looked and saw the oddest sight he has ever laid eyes on: the city was attacked by four gorillas. One of them wore a French beret; one an old gangster's suit from the 1940s; another was white and wore red spiked straps, had no gut, and had what looked like a skull with the outline of his brain coming out; and the last one had a gold helmet on his head. All the gorillas were a good few heads taller than an average human male. "Gorillas?" asked Chun-Li. "You can't be serious."<p>

"It sure looks like it. I can even recognize the Ultra-Humanite when I see him. From what Flash and Green Arrow told me, the one in the helmet is Gorilla Grodd, the one with the beret is Monsieur Mallah, and the guy in the pinstripe suit is the Gorilla Boss," Logan said.

"So what do we do? We'll get in trouble if we were to harm animals."

"Super-genius criminals are an exception." With that, Logan ran towards the apes with Chun-Li behind him. "Hey, monkeys!" Logan shouted when he got at a good enough distance. "Which one of you big, dirty, stinking apes is King Kong?!"

"'Monkey'?!" shouted Grodd. Obviously, Logan knew that Grodd took pride in his species. "I'll show you who the dirty, stinking ape is!" Ignoring the warnings from Ultra-Humanite and Monsieur Mallah, Grodd got on Logan's level and pushed a button on his helmet. Before the effect could kick in, the red light on the helmet was shot. "Who dares destroy Grodd's helmet?!"

"That would be me!" said a voice. They looked up as a man wearing the Spyral spy gear descended and kicked Grodd off the roof. Logan smirked and recognized him right off the bat as his old friend Dick Grayson. Due to the lack of interaction the apes had with him (the exception being Monsieur Mallah), they didn't recognize him. In fact, only Humanite remembered that he was Dick Grayson. Before the white gorilla could say anything, Dick threw an object at him to shut him up, which bounced back to him—one of his electrically-enhanced Escrima Sticks.

"Fancy meeting you here," Logan said with a smirk. Dick smirked back before the two of them, along with Chun-Li, charged after the gorillas. Logan went after Gorilla Boss and Humanite, doing a handstand on both of their heads and bashing them together and jumping off. He used Gorilla Boss' size to knock him off of the pedestal they were on before going after Humanite. "You know something, Humanite? I think it's high time we got you back to the zoo." Humanite smirked before going after Logan.

Chun-Li was having a bit of a hard time against Grodd after the latter recovered. She was barely able to keep him at bay with her 'Thousand Leg Kick'. Grodd decided that he's had enough. He grabbed her leg and hung her upside-down. This proved to be a big mistake that allowed her to use her 'Spinning Bird Kick'. Unfortunately, this ticked off Grodd even more, his growling being enough to reach Logan's ears. Sadly, he was busy dealing with Ultra-Humanite. Gorilla Boss got up and grabbed Chun-Li from behind. "What do you say, Grodd? Is she a beaut or what?" he asked with a lecherous grin, freaking out the Interpol Officer.

"Not if you're on the receiving end of those kicks," said Grodd. He noticed that Gorilla Boss was being held up by a black energy field, which caused him to let Chun-Li go. The field tossed the gangster gorilla at the super genius, who ducked to avoid getting hit. He looked and saw that Chun-Li had chi in her hands, which were spread apart.

"Kikosho!" she exclaimed, shooting her Ultra Attack at Grodd, hitting him square on the chest and sending him into a building. Chun-Li looked behind her and saw a black energy bird—a raven—coming out from underground. When the bird disappeared, a young woman with bluish-gray skin and yellow eyes took its place. She had on a dark blue leotard and a cloak of a similar color. "What in the world?"

Logan was pinned down by the Ultra-Humanite, who was choking him. "It's a shame I'll have to kill you, boy. Any last words before I send you over the edge?" Humanite asked.

"Yeah, but I'm afraid the ladies might not like them so well," said Logan, smirking before planting his foot on Humanite's gut. He flipped backwards, grabbed onto the ledge, and watched as the albino gorilla landed on Grodd and Gorilla Boss. He saw Monsieur Mallah being added to the pile as well, so he looked and saw Dick dusting off his hands. The two of them rejoined the girls. The guys did a hi-five followed by a fist-bump. Chun-Li was confused as to why Logan was interacting with a Spyral agent outside of fighting, but the other woman smiled, knowing who the agent was.

"While you two play catch-up, I'll send these dirty apes to their cages," said the other girl. Chun-Li looked and saw that she had magic powers. "Now then, Logan, should we reconvene at your place or a hotel room?"

* * *

><p>After they got back to the den, Dick and the demon girl had a look around, obviously impressed with the place due to cultural influences. They could see some Asian (due to Chun-Li, Soifon, and Yoruichi), European (Cammy's influence as well as the deeds of Ezio Auditore, Edward Kenway, and Arno Dorian), and even Native American (Connor Kenway). "Nice digs you got here, Logan," said Dick.<p>

"Thanks. Care for a drink?" Logan asked. Logan tossed Dick a bottle of water and gave the demon girl a cup of tea. "Nice seeing you two again, especially you, Raven."

"Okay, Logan, I'm getting tired of being left in the dark. Who are these two?" Chun-Li asked, frustrated that they haven't introduced themselves yet.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Chun-Li, meet Raven." The half-demon, Raven, waved her hand in response. "And the other one is Dick Grayson." The introduction of the latter put a shocked look on Chun-Li's face.

"Dick Grayson! You mean to tell me that he's Nightwing?! Why didn't you tell Cammy this?! You worked with Red Robin to stop the Red Hood and Starfire from harming a lot of people!"

"Technically, there was Arsenal as well, but I don't want to get into too much detail."

"Wait. You and this 'Cammy' person fought Jason and his Outlaws?" Dick asked.

"Yeah we did."

"What happened after you beat them?" Raven asked.

"Red Robin brought Jason and Starfire to the holding cells of the Watchtower while Roy, who wasn't there when Jason and I fought, turned himself over to Green Arrow's custody. Sooner or later, after their sentence was up, Jason went AWOL while Starfire decided to rekindle with her old teammates. From what Roy told me, Raven, she managed to get to you first."

"I've been meditating with her since then to help her find her true self again. She was heartbroken when Dick's Nightwing identity was compromised and he was thought to be killed. I told her to look for Cyborg and Beast Boy next. Maybe from them, she'll rediscover herself. Enough about that, though. We need to discuss what Luthor's planning to do with that army of his."

"Wait, how did you know about that?" asked Dick. She turned at him with a smirk on her face **(A/N: Think about the smirk Batman had when he spoke to Hal in **_**Justice League: War**_**)**. This reminded him of their bond from back in his Robin days. "Oh, I see. It still hasn't worn off yet, has it?"

"Nope," Raven quipped. "And it will last until one of us dies."

"Anyway…back to the matter at hand," Logan said, interrupting their conversation. "I can sense Nathaniel's movements thanks to my 'Spirit Sense'. He's in the desert outside of Coast City, which means that he's not going to listen to this conversation. I say that because I still don't trust him and Batman's new partner Bluebird would agree with me." Dick and Raven nodded. "I took some parts from the robots I slashed up, jammed Lex's homing beacon, and began analyzing the technology once I got here. I think the technology is alien…and from different planets."

"How so?" asked Chun-Li.

"The robots and their circuitry are made from metals and ores found on planets like Korugar, Tamaran, Mars, and even Krypton. In fact, I even found some tech from Oa as well. It's the same stuff that the Guardians used to build the Manhunters, their elite force gone wrong and the predecessors to the Green Lantern Corp. However, the biggest piece of Oan influence is their appearance."

"I guess Hal explained the Manhunters fiasco to you?" Dick asked.

"Actually, that was John. Kilowog tried to get him to shut up, but apparently, he felt like I needed to know about it. Like I was saying, this technology is alien, so I have no doubt that Lex sent some excavators into space to retrieve it. Cutting through a Kryptonium alloy is pretty tough, so Lex knows what he's doing. Titanium's still stronger, though."

"And that just means we'll have to hack it somehow and shut them down permanently from the inside, is that it?" Dick asked, getting a nod from the Assassin. He and Raven smirked at each other. "Then that means that Luthor will have wasted a great deal of money…again."

"With the amount of money he spends on Kryptonite to deal with Superman, it's a wonder he has the kind of cash to even run for President of a honkytonk," quipped Logan, sharing a laugh with everyone.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, at LexCorp, Luthor was in his office alone with his own thoughts. He now knew that it was Logan who destroyed the robots sent after him and not Arsenal or Bluebird. At any rate, he knew he couldn't have Nathaniel deal with them due to his inexperience and the fact that he didn't want to risk getting that kind of attention from the League. He then remembered that he hired a mercenary to get back the flash drives. Deathstroke was unable to get the one Bluebird had brought to Batman thanks to Arsenal. Suddenly, Lex heard a buzz on the door. "Come in," he said.<p>

His secretary, a young Asian-American woman in a black business jacket and skirt with a white shirt underneath walked in. She had back-length brown hair and eyes to match. To many men, she was easy on the eyes. Her name is Mercy Graves and her job as Luthor's secretary was a well-paying one, but it didn't offer her a lot of free time. "I have managed to acquire some surveillance footage of an attack on St. Louis caused by the gorillas," Mercy said.

"Oh? This should be good. Maybe we'll be able to find a weakness on Logan Washburn." As they were watching, Lex was getting frustrated at the fact that Logan managed to beat even the Ultra-Humanite. However, it wasn't Logan's weakness that was the reason for Mercy bringing the video. She stopped it at the point where the four of them (Raven and Agent 37 included) were grouped up. Naturally, Lex was surprised to see Dick among the group. "So Dick Grayson's back in town, but on Spyral business" he commented.

"That's correct, sir. Should I call Nathaniel?"

Lex got an evil smile on his face. "No, Mercy. To pit him against Nightwing would be a mistake since he could match the Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart. I think it's time we reunite two old foes."

* * *

><p>Back in St. Louis, Logan, Dick, Raven, and Chun-Li were trying all they could to study the alien tech and find a way to counter it. It was getting to Chun-LI, so Logan had her lie down and brought her a glass of water. After kissing her on the lips, he rejoined Dick and Raven when the screen on the computer came on. The two former Titans recognized him off the bat: their old foe Deathstroke. "Slade," Dick said, gritting his teeth and clenching his fist.<p>

"_It's nice to see you too, Grayson. I have a proposition for you,"_ he said, getting their attention. _"Meet me on the rooftops of Downtown St. Louis, give me the flash drive that's in the Assassin's possession, and I'll leave you and Bluebird alone._ With that, he hung up.

Dick inhaled and exhaled to keep from smashing Logan's supplies. "Are you okay, Dick?" asked Raven.

"What do you think, Rae?" he asked, trying not to sound so harsh. "Even as a Spyral agent, I still hold my role as the 'big brother' to Batman's other partners close to my heart. Though I haven't met Bluebird yet, this applies to her as well. Anytime I find out Slade Wilson torments my siblings, it's personal. He did this to the last Robin and now he's tormenting Bluebird. I think it's time to put Slade in a coma."

"You know it's a trap, Dick," Logan said. "You're going to need more than just a pair of Escrima Sticks to fight Deathstroke. You had more gadgets as Robin and as Nightwing. Even as Agent 37, he still has knowledge of your fighting style. On top of that, it doesn't look like Spyral supplied you with much."

"I know. I'll just have to try a different fighting style that still incorporates the acrobatics, especially since we can't call Star, Cyborg, or Beast Boy, not to mention anyone else in the League. That would just blow my cover. You didn't tell anyone else about this plan of Batman's did you?"

"I just told Arsenal and Bats told Bluebird. I had to make him promise not to tell anyone else since Star and Jason would go berserk for different reasons. I can maybe help a little in the fight against Slade, but I'm sure he can take all three of us."

"Don't you mean all four of us, Logan?" Chun-Li asked, getting up from her rest.

"Chun-Li, we're going to need you at the monitor. You're probably still tired after studying this tech and the shock from Dick still being alive might not have worn off. I guarantee you that I'd have Cammy do the same thing. I prefer you alive, Chun-Li, and Deathstroke's an expert killer." While this shocked and saddened the Interpol Officer, she nodded anyways. He kissed her on the cheek and got ready to deal with Slade alongside Dick and Raven.

Logan remembered another gadget that would be good to test out. He took what looked like a bunch of flash drives with the Assassin's Guild insignia on the cap. "What are those?" Raven asked, knowing that none of them were the actual flash drive.

"These are dummy drives. I figured that with Deathstroke after the real deal, it would be a good idea to test them out."

* * *

><p>On the rooftops, Deathstroke awaited Dick and Raven. He knew that they weren't going to cooperate willingly, so he prepared himself for a fight. He mused and thought of it like old times, but without Dick Grayson in a costume. Pretty soon, he saw his old foe approach him with Raven tagging along. "Did you bring the recording?" he asked. Dick held up a flash drive. "Good. I see you both have cooperated this time around. Now, hand it over." The heroes looked at each other before handing the flash drive over to Slade.<p>

The mercenary took it from Dick's hand, but then heard some beeping. He turned the flash drive around and saw a red light flashing rapidly. "Oh you son of a…" he began. The bomb gave off a small explosion, forcing Deathstroke back. Once the smoke cleared, he saw that Dick had a smirk on his face. "That was quite clever, Grayson. I never even knew that Batman or Spyral would think to pull a classic like the infamous dummy bomb gag. Or was it that you two have help from an old friend of yours?"

At that, Dick and Raven smirked as Logan appeared behind him, grabbed him, and threw him further back. "Don't you ever shut up?" the Assassin asked.

"Only when I have to." Slade got his sword out and attacked Logan, who blocked with his own sword. Dick, with help from Raven using her psychic powers, separated the two with a kick to the mercenary's face. Deathstroke retaliated by trying to trip the two close-range fighters up with his sword. Both of them dodged and Raven used her powers to toss a barrel at their opponent. He sliced it, but wound up covered in oil.

Logan used 'Chidori' to coat his own sword in electricity, prompting Dick to move out of the way and stop Raven from going any further. "Chidori Blade!" exclaimed the Assassin. Slade moved, but he left an oil trail that the electricity hit. It sparked a fire and chased him all around. Deathstroke didn't have any other choice. He dove into the Mississippi River and washed the oil off.

Logan, Dick, and Raven decided to take the battle to the ground so that the fire department could put out the fire. Once Slade got back out of the water, he was furious. He attacked all three of them, especially focusing on Raven. Dick sideswiped him and proceeded to fight him on his own. He got out his Escrima Sticks and began to use a different style with them. Deathstroke did a down slash, but Dick blocked it with the stick in the left hand, using the right one to jab at his foe.

Dick pulled a variety of combos, causing Slade to be launched into the air. Once he was high enough, Logan jumped from a wall and kicked him down while the former Robin combined the sticks into an electrified Bo staff. He tried to slam the staff down, but Slade dodged it. Logan attacked, but the mercenary hit him with a grapple line. It sent the line towards a propane tank, but as soon as it came back, it found itself in Logan's hands. He tossed it back at him, but Slade shot it in mid-air.

He turned his attention back to Dick, who attacked with the Bo staff now. Slade kicked Dick in the chest and knocked him and Logan down. That didn't stop the former Robin from getting up and attacking Slade again. Due to his rivalry he shared with him, Dick didn't see the bomb that he slid over to Raven. Logan recovered and saw the bomb heading towards the only girl in the trio. Before it got to her, the Assassin kicked it, making it go to the Mississippi River where it exploded. After a few more clashes, Slade tripped Dick and made him fall to the ground. "Now hand me the real flash drive before I have to kill you and your friends. Knowing you, I don't think you'd know what to do if Raven were to die, or perhaps poor little Bluebird. She's so young and inexperienced you know. She was only safe from me due to Arsenal's skill."

The statements about Bluebird and Raven were enough to tick off Dick, who showed his prowess as both Robin and Nightwing. He got out a Taser given to him by Spyral and shocked Slade with it. Afterwards, he kicked him off, separated his Bo staff back into the Escrima Sticks, and gave Deathstroke a beating that he'd give the Joker. He knocked off his helmet, revealing an old man with an eye patch and grey beard. Afterwards, Dick hit him in the back of the head hard with one of the sticks. "There," Dick said. "Now you're shutting up."

* * *

><p>They got Slade to a prison with confirmation that the Taser, combined with the blows from the Escrima Sticks, were enough to render him out of commission for a while. The three of them got back to Chun-Li at the hideout, where she saw that Dick received the most damage while Raven and Logan were okay. Soon, it was time to say goodbye to the two former Titans. "I guess you have to go back to Spyral and tell them about your findings?" Logan asked.<p>

"Yeah, I'm afraid so. In the meantime, I'd like for Raven to join the Justice League's Covert Ops Team," Dick said, surprising Raven. "It won't be easy earning everyone's trust, especially Aqualad's, but at least Beast Boy and Cyborg know you. You can count on them to help you out."

"But what if I need someone to talk to and it's not them?" asked Raven.

"Then you can talk to Black Canary or call me. You can sense when I'm not busy, so you'll know who to talk to." With that, the two of them embraced in a hug. "It was good to see you again, Rae."

"It was good to see you too, Dick."

"You know, I think those two were made for each other," Chun-Li commented with a smile on her face.

"I have to agree with you on that one. Starfire wouldn't, but that's just her," said Logan. They saw a helicopter drop a ladder and Dick climb aboard. They wondered why until they saw the Spyral symbol on it. Logan smiled, having given some samples of the acquired tech to him. After the chopper left, he and Chun-Li looked at Raven and saw that she had tears in her eyes. The half-demon clutched onto Logan and started crying on his chest while he and Chun-Li tried to comfort her. _'I hope you find something, Dick, because you have this girl to get back to,'_ Logan thought, obviously talking about Raven.

CHAPTER 6 END

* * *

><p><strong>Man that was a long chapter…at least for me. You should read Naito Writer's stories. He's got so many ideas, he could fill up the Trojan Horse three times and then some. I am glad to have finally brought Dick Grayson and Raven into this along with Chun-Li. I had brought Starfire in on Chapter 2 along with her fellow Outlaws, Arsenal (Roy Harper) and Red Hood (Jason Todd), as well as Cammy and Red Robin (Tim Drake). The next chapter will feature my main guest character from 'Symbios-Issues' as well as Nathaniel. In lieu of Hal Jordan or any of the other Green Lanterns, I'll bring in a couple of <strong>_**Bleach**_** favorites of mine (HINT: Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki won't be in until later chapters).**


	7. Cloak Returns

**Cloak Returns**

In Metropolis, a new casino was recently finished. The funding was provided by LexCorp, which helped to provide an exquisite design in the main rooms. In the lounge, there were leather seats circling the fountain. The reception desk was make of marble on the surface, but the rest was ash wood. The floor had carpet on it for the gambling portions and restaurant. Naturally, kids weren't allowed in the gaming section, so Lex Luthor had a kids room put in just to keep up the charitable façade. There was a theater there as well should any acts be in town, such as Cirque du Soleil. Naturally, it was a grand sight.

Everyone there looked like they were dressed for a black-tie event, including one particular individual who had red hair and stood about 6'1". Normally, he'd be in a white collared shirt without the jacket, but he had to blend in to look for a certain crime lord he was pursuing. Hearing word about Luthor's corruptness, he figured he'd be here. He looked and saw a heavyset man who looks similar to Steven Mandragora, but with no hair, revealing his egg-shaped head. The slimmer individual knew he had found his target at last as he approached a special kind of table. This was a Blackjack table, and Blackjack was one card game that the man rivaled a certain Assassin friend of his in.

As he approached the table, the fat man took notice of him. "Well hello there, my friend. My name's Tobias Whale," Whale said, introducing himself.

"Todd Platinum," said the man, now known as Todd Platinum. "Care for a little game of Blackjack?"

Whale grinned at this. "Why sure thing, Platinum. As it just so happens, Blackjack is one of my favorites." Before Whale could touch the deck, Todd grabbed it. "Hey, what gives?"

"Oh nothing. I just thought that I should deal the first game." He dealt out the cards as the rules say, but Whale glared at him. After placing their bets, the crime lord looked at his cards, an Ace of Hearts and a Five of Spades. He tapped the table, signifying the phrase 'hit me'. Todd gave him another card from the top of the deck, a Six of Diamonds. This gave him a total of 12. He tapped again and got a Five of Hearts this time. That's when he decided to stay. Todd flipped his own cards over, revealing a Ten of Spades and a Deuce of Diamonds. He drew one more card, lucking out that it was a Nine of Hearts. "21. You lose," he said.

"Not bad, Todd, but I think I'll deal this time." They placed their bets again. Todd looked at his cards and closed his eyes. Whale took this as a sign that he was going to pass until Todd showed him his hand. Whale was shocked and for good reason: Todd's cards were an Ace and a Jack, both Spades. "It looks like you lucked out on that one…again," said Whale.

Whale handed Todd the cards for one last game. After he dealt the cards, they placed their bets one more time. Whale gave the 'hit me' sign after figuring out he had an Ace of Diamonds and a Seven of Clubs. Todd handed the top card, which turned out to be the Three of Spades, to him. The crime boss gave the 'hit me' sign one more time and got a Queen of Hearts. He decided to stay.

Todd flipped his face down card over, revealing that he had a Nine of Diamonds and an Ace of Hearts. He flipped the top card over and got an Ace of Clubs. "21 with three cards," said Todd.

"Hey, you're cheating!" Whale shouted. It was obvious even to a blind man that Whale hated to lose. He pulled out a gun at Todd. "This is what happens to people who cheat me out of my money!" Todd flipped the table over and caused Whale to miss. Soon, the slimmer man found himself surrounded by henchmen. One of them charged for the guy, only to wind up getting the wind knocked out of him. He grabbed the cards and flung them at the rest of the henchmen one at a time until he was down to three. He tossed all three of the cards and hit them at the same time in the head.

Whale shoved the pool table to the side and aimed his gun at Todd, who made like he pulled out a Bo staff. As he was charging towards Whale, he was blocking every shot until the crime lord ran out of bullets. Todd slammed him with the Bo a few times, but Whale grabbed it and tossed him to the side. He then tried to use the staff as a spear, but he saw something attach to it. He looked up and saw a knife with a red light beeping on it. A second later, the bomb exploded and Whale found himself on the receiving end of several punches and kicks. It was revealed to be Logan, who was in town at the time. He put his finger under Whale's chin and made like he was getting ready to punch him. However, he moved his arm and the overweight crime boss fell on his face.

* * *

><p>After making sure that Whale and his henchmen were in jail, Logan turned to Todd with a smirk. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," he said. Todd smirked back and had a black ooze—a Symbiote—cover him. "How've you been, Cloak?"<p>

"I've been good. I've been tracking Tobias Whale for quite a while. He's been notorious in the criminal underground for drug trafficking, illegal arms dealing, and everything in between. Thanks for helping me take him down. By the way, I thought you were in St. Louis. What are you doing here?" Cloak asked.

"I've been helping the Justice League with some cases lately. The big one involves the biggest tech company in Metropolis, LexCorp. I worked with the vigilantes Bluebird and Arsenal, a guy from a different dimension that we're calling the 'Silver Lantern' and the Green Lantern Hal Jordan to uncover this plot of Luthor's. He's planning to run for President and…"

"Stop right there. You mentioned a 'Green Lantern' and a 'Silver Lantern'. What are those?"

Logan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I guess you never got that memo, huh?"

"I'm afraid not, Logan. I've only heard of the Orange Lantern Corp." Logan got on his phone and pulled up a screen. "What's all this?"

"Your education on the Universe's Emotional Spectrum," Logan answered. "The Red Lanterns were formed in an area called the 'Forgotten Zone'. It earned that nickname because before the Green Lanterns were created, the Guardians created a police force called the Manhunters. However, their programming was flawed; they couldn't differentiate between the guilty and the innocent. It was because of that, they were either reprogrammed or shut down. Because of the rage the being known as Atrocitus felt, he became the founder of the Red Lantern Corp., whose rings are powered by Hatred.

"The Orange Lantern Corp. isn't really an organization at all. In fact, there's only one true Orange Lantern, whose name is Larfleeze, otherwise known as Agent Orange. His ring is powered by Greed. You don't want to hear his oath. The rest of the 'Orange Lanterns' are just his constructs. Next up is Fear, which powers the Rings of the Sinestro Corp. The leader is an ex-Green Lantern named Thaal Sinestro, who discovered that Fear is more effective than Willpower, which powers a GL Power ring. The Green Lantern Corp. was founded by the Guardians when they saw it to be much more knowledgeable than the Manhunters. The only humans in any of the Corps are all GLs: Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, and Simon Baz. Out of all of them, I've only worked with Hal, hung out with Kyle, and sparred with John."

"I think I can get the gist of the powers of the other three. Blue Lanterns represent Hope; the Indigo Tribe represents Charity; and the Star Sapphires represent Love," said Cloak. Logan nodded.

"Anyway, as I was saying, Lex Luthor is running for President. If he wins, he'll unleash a robotic police force that would render many heroic and neutral organizations, such as the Assassin's Guild and the Justice League, out of commission. It wouldn't affect Soul Society's Thirteen Court Guard Squads since the robots can't see spirits. As you know, that's exactly what a Soul Reaper is."

"And I guess you're here to monitor Luthor?" Logan nodded. "Count me in. We'll cover more of Metropolis if we split up. I'll take Pitch here to check out the north side while you check the south. I have this feeling that Superman isn't here, so we're home free to take out the criminals." The Assassin smirked and nodded before they separated.

* * *

><p>In the Southern part of Metropolis, Nathaniel just so happened to be flying by. Actually, he had a specific destination, so 'just flying by' wouldn't have been the appropriate phrase. He smiled when he saw Logan jumping on the rooftops after stopping some common crooks. "Hey, Logan," he said as he got closer.<p>

"Oh great," Logan said. "Where's a flyswatter when you need one?"

Nate arched an eyebrow and formed a flyswatter construct. "Will this do?"

"That was a rhetorical question, kid." Suddenly, he ducked to dodge the flyswatter. "Hey, watch it!"

"Got a fly for you. And don't call me 'kid'. You're no older than me."

"You better watch it. You might get more than 'the Bird' flipped at you." Nathaniel landed at his side.

"Don't think I don't know," he said with his arms crossed.

"What are you talking about?" Logan asked.

"I know you hate me. Why? It's because I'm grey, isn't it? Well hey, it's not easy being grey." He began to break out in a musical, but was interrupted.

"Well what do you expect? You're always horning in on other people's business, which will get you killed one of these days. On top of that, you're buddy-buddy with Lex Luthor, who is without a doubt one of the most corrupt businessmen in history. And stop that singing!"

"Yeah, I know Luthor's a sleaze. I'm only using him for my own purposes. I'm not horning in on anyone's business. If this is me being a Lantern, I've got news for you: there's lots of Lanterns out there, or didn't you know? Also why do you hate music so much? I won't sing if you don't like it. Sheesh, everyone's a critic. You know, they appreciated my singing back at Star Labs where I worked. I would've become a professional singer, but I have lifelong ambition. Star Labs also pays good money, even though I was just a janitor. Who would've thought that…" he started to say, but stopped upon realizing that he would've revealed too much."

Logan was pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't mind you being a Lantern, Nathaniel, so long as the color of that ring isn't Red, Orange, or Yellow. It's just that, aside from teaming up with an old friend to stop Tobias Whale, I've had a bad day, mainly because I found out that the metals that those robots are made from are going to take more than a few punches, kicks, and slashes to destroy. Also, my ex-girlfriend's in town, so I had to get away before I said or did something I would regret. Did you say you were a janitor?" Logan asked.

Nathaniel quirked an eyebrow at the question. "Yes, is that a problem?"

"No it's not. Hal is a test pilot and Arsenal tried to kill himself by picking a fight with Killer Croc."

"Oh, and don't worry about the robots. They look defective to me. I don't think they'll work." Logan cocked his eyebrow. "Lex is just wasting his money. But I'm not one to judge. I don't run a multi-billion dollar company bent on making weapons. I'm just a simple janitor after all. My ambition is animation, not mechanics. But nothing is without a weakness. We all have an Achilles Heel, I think the term is," said Nathaniel. "Then again, I guess it's hard to find a weakness in something that has no soul."

"Yeah, well mechanics and animation go hand-in-hand. I think there's someone I can ask about this particular investment. I know one of the most dangerous investments Luthor's ever made was toward a certain mineral. As for that friend of mine, I'm afraid I'll have to speak to him alone."

Nathaniel frowned at this, but nodded. "Okay, if that's all you wish. Friends only after all, and I'm barely a true team member. But remember, those tin cans won't be stepping on anybody any time soon." Logan glared at him and walked off. Suddenly, Nathaniel turned invisible. "Oh the wonders that this ring can do," he said. "I think someone should make more of these." Logan had no idea that Nathaniel slipped a grain of salt in his boot.

* * *

><p>Later, Logan was scouting around until he heard an alarm go off. He looked and he saw a figure running with a bag. Since he was running from a tech store, Logan figured that he had either tech supplies or the cash register. Thanks to his Spirit Sense, he knew it was Nate. "Okay, now why would he rob a tech store?" he asked himself before getting Cloak on the horn. "Todd, I have a robbery going down from a tech store. I'm pursuing him now."<p>

"_Got it, Logan,"_ said Cloak. _"I've got nothing on my end. I'm on my way."_ After they hung up, Logan chased after Nathaniel, cornering him in an abandoned garage.

The Assassin kicked in his 'Chidori' to light up the place. "Hold it right there," he said. "Nathaniel, what's gotten into you? First, you shake hands with Luthor, and now you're stealing tech from Radio Shack. As your probation officer, I'd like to know what gives."

"Okay, you want to know? Fine," Nathaniel said. "I technically didn't steal anything. I bought it for Luthor. I asked him to make some Power Rings for me. He told me to pick these up. Oh, I could've gone ahead and walked along quietly, but I decided to get your attention by causing a ruckus."

"Let me see the receipt." Nathaniel did as he asked just as a surprised Cloak entered the garage.

"Blur? Is that you?" he asked, obviously confused as to why Nathaniel looked like his rival.

"It's not Blur, Cloak. You remember that 'Silver Lantern' I mentioned?" The off-worlder nodded. "This is him. Cloak, meet Nathaniel. Nate, this is Cloak." After the greetings were exchanged, Logan went back to reading the receipt. He found that everything was in order. He saw that Nathaniel had a hand extended with what looked like a piece of circuitry in it. "What's this?"

"This is what Luthor said he needed for the Power Rings. I'm handing you one because I figured you and your buddy there can figure out if it's for that or for those tin cans. I'm pretty sure Luthor's smarter than he lets on."

"Well if that's the case, we'll check this thing out. Have a good night, Nathaniel," said Cloak. Nathaniel nodded, but was still a bit frustrated for earlier.

* * *

><p>After splitting up with Logan and Cloak, Nathaniel went to LexCorp to give Lex the chips. He got to the elevator and took it to the highest floor, which is where he knew his office to be at. He knew it was better than going outside because it saved him a lot of drama and publicity. He knocked on the door and got a confirmation from Luthor to come in. "Nathaniel, my friend," Lex greeted. "I take it you got the chips?"<p>

"Yes, Mr. Luthor, I did. However, there was a robbery at the store. The guy didn't take the cash since I stopped him, but he shoved me aside and took one of the chips," Nathaniel said, lying to the Presidential candidate.

"I see. It's most unfortunate, but one missing chip isn't going to affect us. Now, come back in a few days and we'll have those rings ready for you. In the meantime, search for that crook and arrest him."

"Yes, Mr. Luthor."

Once Nathaniel left, Lex looked at Mercy with a smile. "He's lying, you know," he said, getting a nod from the secretary. "Mercy, I have a special assignment for you when the time is right. I want you to have a casual conversation with the Assassin Logan Washburn. See if you can find out more about him." He saw the daydreaming look on Mercy's face and smiled. "If you fall in love with him, that's on you."

* * *

><p>Nate left the building, still upset that Logan mentioned a friend that he wasn't allowed to come see. He had a good idea of who it was, but didn't know that Logan knew another CEO as well. Of course it's no surprise since he's never met Ken Masters. Still, the frustration was getting to him the more he thought about it. <em>'Man, I still can't believe he blew me off like that!'<em> he thought. _'I mean sure, he's my probation officer thanks to Green Lantern, and he tried to be nice about it, but it really ticks me off!'_ His thoughts were interrupted when he saw a suspicious-looking figure in the shadows.

The figure glanced at him before going through an alleyway. Naturally, Nathaniel was curious, so he followed. He pursued the figure, turning every corner until he wound up at the same garage he gave Logan and Cloak the chip in. He shone his light on the figure, who wore white robes with some kind of black and gold symbol on them and had his hair pointed backwards in two different directions. "Okay, pal, you better start talking because I've had a busy day," Nathaniel said.

The man smiled at him. "Of course, how rude of me," said the figure as he found himself staring down a powered-up ring that was ready to blast him. "I suppose I need to introduce myself. You may call me Brother Blood. I've come to offer you a membership."

"'Membership'? For what?"

"Why to join my little clan of course." Suddenly, several figures wearing hoods came out of the shadows. They all wore similar robes to Blood. "As you can see, we're a humble organization looking for new recruits. I always pick up the lost and neglected. And it seems with the exception of Luthor, you're the latter for the most part."

"Sorry, Blood. I'm not buying. I'm fine just the way I am."

"Oh are you now? You see, Nathaniel, you have a special gift, one that comes from that ring. I could certainly use your techniques to help usher in a new, better world. I could certainly help you utilize it much better than Luthor ever could."

"Nice try, Blood, but I'm afraid you're going to have to find someone else. It's as I said: I'm not interested."

Blood had a false somber look on his face, which turned to a malicious smile. "Very well, if that's your wish," said Blood. "I'm afraid I have to kill you now, especially since you know our secret. I can't risk you telling anyone about it." With that, the other figures attacked Nathaniel, who put up a shield with his ring. He then used it to send them back to the wall and knock them out. Blood jumped and tried to kick the Silver Lantern from above, but the latter dodged it and fired a missile construct. Blood simply side-stepped it and lunged at him, reaching through the shield he put up and choking him. "You're a fool for turning down my offer, Nathaniel! You could've found people to relate to! But you chose to remain a loner! That was an idiotic choice and now you're going to pay for it!"

Nate's response was spitting in his eye. While Blood was recovering, the Silver Lantern kicked him off. When he got back on the ground, he made a boxing glove construct and punched Blood with it. He formed his turret construct and fired multiple shots at the old man, who kept dodging. As Blood was getting closer, Nathaniel formed a baseball bat and swung at him, only for him to dodge. Blood pinned him to the wall again and grabbed his right hand, which was where the ring was. "Let's face it, boy. You're done."

"I don't think so," said Nathaniel, forming a turret on his left hand. He hit Blood multiple times until he was free. He then used a wrench construct and hit him upside the head. Somehow, it didn't knock Blood out, but he knew he was too weak to continue, so he escaped with a grudge against him. "I needed that."

Just then, Logan and Cloak arrived. "Hey, Nathaniel, are you doing okay? You look really beat, man."

"I'm fine. Thanks, Logan. I just happened to pick a fight with this guy named Brother Blood." The name surprised Logan to the point where Nathaniel knew something was up. "You're going to fill me in, aren't you?"

"Nate, you just fought the leader of the Cult of Blood, an organization who worships a demon named Trigon the Terrible. As it just so happens, his daughter, who hates him so much, is a friend of mine. She's a member of the Justice League's Covert Ops Team. Anyway, Brother Blood's real name is Sebastian Blood VIII. His whole lineage is a curse. Need I say more?" Both of them shook their heads. "Good. Now then, get some rest, you guys. I'm still trying to study the tech that Luthor's robots are made from."

"Okay, but remember what I said. It's not like those buckets of bolts are going to be of any trouble," Nathaniel said with a smirk before leaving.

"Just thought I ask, but what's his ring powered by?" asked Cloak.

"It's fueled by curiosity. I still haven't finished analyzing that chip he gave us." Pitch growled in acknowledgement.

CHAPTER 7 END

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, folks, that was Chapter 7, where I brought in Brother Blood and Tobias Whale. I know who I'm bringing in next on the good side: Cyborg, Guile, and Toshiro Hitsugaya. The bad guys are a surprise.<strong>


	8. A Chilling Surprise!

**A Chilling Surprise!**

At the Soul Society, things were just a little on the chilly side. The Thirteen Court Guard Squads did everything they could to stay warm. For Squad 11, it was constant training and fighting. For the others, especially the Kuchiki Family and Squad 6, it was to stay indoors. Of course, while Sentaro and Kiyone were taking care of Jushiro Ukitake, Rukia was with Ichigo in Karakura Town. Byakuya thanked the lucky stars that Rukia was able to use a Snow-type Zanpakuto and Ichigo was hot-blooded enough thanks to the traditional 'Kurosaki Male Bonding' ritual…which, for those of you who don't know, means that he and his dad literally fight all the time.

This brings us to Squad 2, where Soifon was trying to concentrate on the paperwork while trying to stay warm at the same time. "When did the heater stop working?" she asked herself. Yoruichi was listening as usual in her cat form. Sadly, Soifon didn't know she was there, but this gave the Flash Goddess an opportunity to scare her. She got down on the floor and snuck up on Soifon. Once she got there, she let out a cat's yell, frightening the young Captain to the point where she clung on the ceiling. After a little bit, she looked down at her desk and saw Yoruichi sitting on it.

"That should get your blood flowing," she said half-jokingly. "Perhaps we were better off in the World of the Living. After all, as spirits, we can't feel the cold there unless we were in Gigais. Besides, Logan's got good heating at his place. Maybe we should've stayed there."

All the while, Soifon was in tears from both the cold and from her mentor's scare tactics. "WHY DIDN'T WE STAY THERE!?" she exclaimed. "LOGAN, DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO CRUEL!?"

"If you keep screaming like that, he's bound to hear you. Dry up while I get changed." Soifon did that while Yoruichi was in the bedroom getting in her usual outfit. "He wasn't being cruel, Soifon," Yoruichi said as she came out. "He still cares a great deal about you."

"Oh yeah? If that was the case, why didn't he take us to Metropolis with him?"

"Either 1) he wasn't ready to introduce us to Superman; or 2) he wanted to get away before he said something he might regret or would get chewed out for. Don't take it personally, Soifon. He's got a lot on his plate with this robot army. If we're not careful, it could turn into a repeat of what happened with McSleez, only with Lex Luthor at the helm."

"Yeah, I still don't get how a mere mortal from Earth, a businessman no less, can be considered a threat to someone from Krypton."

"That's simple, my apprentice. He's invested in a bunch of Kryptonite. I heard that one of the R&D Department's little experiments got loose. Captain Hitsugaya is investigating it by himself. Maybe he can check up on Logan and see how he's doing."

* * *

><p>In St. Louis, it was very cold around the city. Logan was, as usual as of late, examining the metals. Luckily, he hasn't foregone his duties to the city. Right now, though, he was examining them with Bluebird in a video chat. <em>"Logan, are you sure you're okay?"<em> she asked. _"You've been on Luthor's case ever since we figured out what he's planning. I don't like him any more than you do, but you're going to need some rest. I'm worried about you, man."_

"Thanks for the concern, Bluebird, but I feel like I'm so close to figuring out how Lex managed to combine these technologies despite them being so different. I tried to ask that Lana Lang person you recommended, but she doesn't know. Wayne's recommendation, Lucius Fox, is baffled by it too," said Logan, who let out a yawn. "Come to think about it, you might be right. I'll ask one more person, and then I'll take that rest you recommended."

"_You better. You're no good to anyone if you don't get enough sleep. I know I'm one to talk, but unlike you, I sleep in."_ The two shared a smile before saying goodnight. Logan decided to call his last contact.

When the call was answered, the screen showed an African-American who was half-human and half-robot. However, the only parts that were human skin were his face, aside from his left eye, and the right side of his head. The rest of his body was cybernetic, with a glowing red symbol on the torso. _"Hey, Logan,"_ he greeted. _"What do you need?"_

"Vic, I need something answered that Lana Lang and Lucius Fox were unable to figure out. I have to find out how Lex was able to combine these different technologies without causing any mayhem in the systems."

"_Hmm. I'll see what I can find. You look tired. I'm sure somebody told you this, but you need to rest. Send the schematics…each…and I'll…I can…"_ The call was interrupted by static before Logan lost power.

"That's not good. Why hasn't the backup generator kicked in?" He grabbed a thick jacket in case he came across what he was afraid of. He went through the tunnel exit connected to his hideout (after having to pull it open) and walked until he found a sewer lid that was a good distance away. After a failed attempt to push it open, he found out that it was froze shut. Logan reached into his pocket and got a set of titanium knuckles.

"Shoryuken!" he shouted. The lid popped open and he jumped out. Once he was all the way out, the lid landed back over the hole. He had a look around and saw that there was ice everywhere, much to his astonishment.

"Now what is it with you and tunnels?" asked a voice. Logan looked on a building and saw Toshiro sitting on a building. "How are you, my friend?"

"I'm fine, Captain. As for the tunnel question, they come in pretty handy."

Toshiro had a good look at the city. "Does it always freeze this much this time off year?"

"No it doesn't. This is unnatural, whatever it is. The snow, the ice, all the power knocked out. Something must've caused all of this. I was actually on my way to the power plant to check it out if you want to come."

"Well I was dispatched to find an experiment that broke out of the Research & Development Institute. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to check there."

* * *

><p>They found a snowmobile that was in decent shape, so they rode to the power plant on that, taking notice of how the power throughout the city was down. It wasn't a pleasant sight to see from Logan's point of view. When they got about halfway to the power plant, they had to stop. They were on a bridge. From that bridge, they could see two figures. One was a man in a dark blue shirt and pants with machinery on his torso and his head in a glass dome. The other was a young woman wearing a black suit whose skin was covered in permafrost.<p>

Toshiro was surprised. He figured that it was the experiment that did this since Akon said that it had powers similar to him. "My God," he said. "How could that experiment do this to those people? It's madness."

Logan could tell that the Squad 10 Captain was very worried about the two individuals, but he knew otherwise. "Save your concerns for someone else, Captain," he said. "Those two can dish out the cold and survive in this temperature. The woman's name is Killer Frost, but she doesn't look like the one I know. As for bucket-head there, that's Victor Fries, who can't survive outside of sub-zero temperatures without that suit, hence his codename Mister Freeze."

They got off the snowmobile and jumped down to the Ice Villains' level as Killer Frost turned around. "Looks like we've got company, Victor," said Killer Frost. Freeze turned around and saw the two of them. "Hmm. I'm not picking any warmth up from the kid. Now the Assassin, on the other hand, feels ripe."

"You look to drain Logan Washburn's energy, yes?" asked Freeze, getting a nod from Frost. "Then be my guest. You need the warmth to survive." With that, Frost dashed for Logan, something Toshiro noticed. The Squad 10 Captain sideswiped her, which put him in Freeze's range. He fired the shot and hit Toshiro with an ice blast, obviously not knowing that he thrives in cold weather. With all his strength, Toshiro broke out of the ice and charged for Freeze. When the ice villain froze the ground below his feet, the Captain jumped up and kicked him in the chest, knocking him back. "Hmm. It seems to me that you are no ordinary child."

"You don't know who you're dealing with!"

As Toshiro was dealing with Freeze, Logan was having a hard time with this new Killer Frost. She was obviously enjoying the fight while Logan too busy trying to think up warm thoughts and dodging her at the same time. He knew something was off when he discovered that all she was trying to do was grab him. "C'mon, tall, dark, and handsome," she said. "All I want is just a simple hug and kiss to stay warm."

"You expect me to believe that? I heard what Freeze said! There is no way I'm letting you get to me, Frost! Besides, I don't even know you!" exclaimed Logan.

"Then here comes our chance!" She jumped on the Assassin-Vigilante, who did his best to keep her back. Finally, he had enough. He kicked her off, moved out of the way and threw a Trick Knife where she was going to land. It turned out to be a net formed on impact. She tried to struggle, but then she got an idea. "Oh, do you treat all your dates this way?"

"Put a pin in that." With that, he went to help Toshiro with Freeze, but saw that the Squad 10 Captain was having trouble with him. He got out his titanium knuckles again and went to punch the glass dome. Freeze spotted him, however and froze him right on the spot. As Toshiro was about to come in, the villain grabbed his face and slammed him on the ground. After that, he threw him towards Logan. "I-I don't g-get it. H-H-How on Earth d-did you d-do that?" asked Logan, obviously weak from the cold.

"It's quite simple really. We've had to deal with the Flash Family as well. Catching you and your friend here was only a little more difficult. And now…" he began before being hit by a jeep. The two of them looked and saw Guile in the driver's seat and Vic riding shotgun.

"You two look like a mess," said Guile, who wore an Air Force coat. Vic used his Sonic Cannon and broke Logan free from the ice. "Victor Stone, aka Cyborg, meet Soul Society's Squad 10 Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya. You already know Logan."

"Thanks for the intro, Guile. Now we'd like you to meet Victor Fries, or as he's better known as, Mister Freeze," said Toshiro.

"Who's the girl in the net, Logan's latest date?" Guile asked jokingly.

"Oh sure, if she wasn't so freaking vampiric," said Logan sarcastically. "That's the new Killer Frost. I don't know what happened to Louise Lincoln."

"That's simple as well, love," Frost said, able to finally break out of the net. "She was killed. I went through a similar cryogenics accident as she did. However, as you figured out, I need warmth from a living human to survive." This made Logan grit his teeth while Freeze got up.

"Guile, how long can you survive in the cold?"

"Longer than you, kid," Guile answered.

"Good. I'm afraid that you and Captain Hitsugaya are going to have to deal with Freeze. Cyborg and I can take on Killer Frost." The other three nodded. Charging for Killer Frost, Logan threw another Trick Knife, then jumped backwards over Cyborg, who fired his Sonic Cannon. The knife was a Sonic Emitter, which was amplified by the cannon. While it did break a few car windows and crack some of the pillars on the bridge, the combo was enough to send Killer Frost backwards and knock her out.

Toshiro kept using his Zanpakuto, Hyorinmaru, to absorb and reflect Freeze's ice blasts while Guile got in close. "Sonic Boom!" exclaimed the Air Force Major. The blast hit Freeze and caused him to stumble a bit, allowing Toshiro to charge in. Before the Soul Reaper Captain could get close to Freeze, he was hit by an unknown force. The five still-conscious fighters looked up and saw a dark version of Toshiro. He had dark grey hair as opposed to white, black sclera, and the shihakusho was black while the haori was dark grey.

Toshiro was stunned to think about how this was possible, as was Logan. Freeze decided to use the opportunity to attack the latter and put him on ice. Unfortunately for him, he didn't take Logan's Spirit Sense into account. The Assassin dodged and charged towards him while kicking in 'Chidori'. The Toshiro lookalike put him on ice, though. Guile tried to charge at him, but was frozen as well. Cyborg saw no other option but to retreat, especially since he knew that Logan would be weak if he stayed in the cold for so long. After Cyborg took himself, Toshiro, Logan, and Guile through a Boom Tube he generated, the Dark Toshiro scoffed. "Coward," he said.

* * *

><p>At the Hall of Justice, Cyborg put Guile and Logan in a certain spot and used his Sonic Cannon to free them. Logan walked over to a heater and began to warm up. Toshiro was sitting in one of the seats thinking about his new enemy. Obviously, it was a dark version of him, so he had an Oni Hyorinmaru as his Zanpakuto. He just didn't know how he used his power since Cyborg had them make a retreat. He looked at Logan and realized the Assassin's weakness, which would give Dark Toshiro an advantage. He silently cursed Mayuri as he got his cell phone out. When he called, the Captains were in the meeting room. <em>"Captain Hitsugaya, how goes your progress with retrieving the experiment?"<em> asked Head Captain Kyoraku.

"Not so well, Head Captain. I joined up with Logan on the search since St. Louis was frozen over. We went to the power plant to see if it was there and to see if we could get it up and running again since the power was out. Captain Kurotsuchi could've told me that the experiment was like me in every way!" he exclaimed, mainly at Mayuri.

"_Uh, did I forget to mention that? Well it was on a need-to-know basis,"_ said the mad scientist.

"If by that, you mean that I needed to know, then you're right. Unfortunately, he's got an advantage over our Assassin friend. It turns out that Logan's prime weakness, besides acrophobia and arachnophobia, is the cold, which gives the Dark Hitsugaya an advantage. We also ran into Guile and the Justice Leaguer known as Cyborg. Before the experiment attacked us, we faced off against a couple of ice villains named Mister Freeze and Killer Frost. We're going to need their backstories…" Logan sneezed, making Toshiro look up and see him in a bad state. "…and some chicken noodle soup for Logan."

"_Understood, Captain Hitsugaya,"_ said Kyoraku. _"Cyborg can probably tell you Freeze and Frost's personal backgrounds. We'll send Lieutenant Kotetsu with the soup. I'm sure the Justice League can spare a few blankets."_ Toshiro nodded and hung up. He saw that Cyborg arrived from another Boom Tube carrying the parts that Logan was analyzing.

"Is that what I think it is?" the Captain asked.

"You bet. This is the scrap pile that Logan's been analyzing for a good long while. I don't know who told him before, but someone said he needed to rest. Naturally, he was too stubborn to listen," said Cyborg.

"Well excuse me for wanting to stop Luthor as soon as possible, Victor," Logan remarked.

"I suggest you rest. Cyborg can analyze the parts and find what you've been trying to." Logan nodded. The Zeta Tube opened up and Bluebird came running to check on him.

"You don't look so good," she said. Logan didn't bother to quip about that, instead choosing to lie down as she got some blankets. "There, now you look nice and cozy." He smiled at Batman's young protégé as Cyborg approached them.

"What's up, Vic?" he asked.

"What's up is that I found out the method behind the madness of Killer Frost and Mr. Freeze," said the half-human hero. This piqued the interests of both vigilantes as well as Guile and Toshiro. "Victor Fries is a scientist who mainly studies in cryogenics. One day, a couple approached him and asked him to heal their sick daughter Nora. During that time, Fries fell in love with her and believed her to be his wife. He does what he does for her sake. As you know, he suffers from a condition that prevents him from going out in temperatures warmer than sub-zero without that suit."

"And what about this new Killer Frost?" asked Guile.

"Her name is Caitlin Snow. She was a student of the last Killer Frost, Louise Lincoln, who died through circumstances currently unknown. During a mission issued by Star Labs in the arctic, she was ambushed by H.I.V.E agents. Snow grabbed one of the cryogen pipelines and froze the agents, but as a result, she became what she is today. She's still looking for a cure, but until then, she needs to absorb heat in order to survive."

"Wow. You kind of have to feel sorry for the two of them," said Bluebird.

A Senkaimon opened up in front of the Hall of Justice, which Yoruichi and Soifon popped out of. Soifon was carrying a bowl with the chicken noodle soup. They opened the door and looked in awe at the site. It was lined with memorabilia from the Justice League. This even included the statues of veteran heroes such as Wildcat, Captain Atom, and even Batman. They saw a door that said 'League Members Only', so they knocked. Cyborg answered the door. "Sorry to be so rude, but the door said 'League Members Only'," he said.

The girls had a sad expression on their faces. "We brought this for Logan clear from the Soul Society. Originally, Lieutenant Kotetsu was going to bring it, but we volunteered instead," explained Yoruichi. Cyborg looked to Toshiro, who nodded, giving him the signal to let them in. When the two Soul Reapers came in, they saw Bluebird with her head resting at the Assassin's side. "Is she Justice League?"

"She's a member of the Covert Ops Team. I'm not going to tell you her real name since the Bat family likes to keep their identities secret, but her codename is Bluebird. She's Batman's latest partner after the last Robin was killed. Bluebird and Logan first met on a covert ops mission led by him and the Green Lantern Hal Jordan. The other two members were this guy that was pawned off on Logan as a parolee who calls himself the 'Silver Lantern', and Arsenal, otherwise known as the original Speedy. The only protégés Bats has left are her, Batgirl, Red Robin, and the Red Hood."

"Well it looks to me like in that short of time, Little Miss Bluebird here developed a small crush on him." Suddenly, Bluebird opened her eyes and saw the two new faces. Yoruichi was smiling while Soifon was scowling. The Squad 2 Captain put the bowl on the coffee table in front of the couch Logan was lying on. Yoruichi turned to Toshiro, who was meditating on what to do. "So, any ideas on how to deal with your doppelganger?" she asked.

"Easier said than done," he said. "There's also Mister Freeze and Killer Frost to deal with as well. I'm not sure how I can find him again." He then got an idea. "What if I was to track him using my own Spiritual Pressure?" Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "If that thing is made from what I think it's made from, then it should be easy."

"You're still going to need some help with the ice villains."

"That's where Cyborg and Guile come in. As you can see, Guile's training in the military has got him in a good enough shape to resist the cold." Suddenly, they heard some slurping going on, so they looked and saw an empty bowl. "Well it looks like Isane's recipe came in handy. You're looking better already."

Not responding immediately, Logan did twenty-five push-ups and saw that his strength was back. "I feel better. You can handle that Dark Hitsugaya while I help Guile and Cyborg with the ice villains."

"Not what I had in mind. I'm going to need your help with him. Use your Spirit Sense to track down the three of them, then we can take them on."

* * *

><p>After a bit, the four of them arrived back in St. Louis, leaving Bluebird, Yoruichi, and Soifon behind. Logan donned a new coat. Built for survival in cold weather, this white coat had a reinforced liner for extra warmth. As usual, he had a belt for the Trick Knives and his sword on his back. The only drawback was the extra weight it put on him since it hindered his movement. Guile just wore the camouflage coat that he wore earlier.<p>

They approached the downtown area where they saw Freeze and Killer Frost. From the sounds of things, they were demanding that someone reveal the location of Logan's hideout. He gave them a glare about half as intense as Batman's, which still scared Cyborg. He and Toshiro looked up and saw Dark Toshiro on the top of a building that had an antiques store. The Assassin and the Soul Reaper looked at each other and nodded. Toshiro disappeared while Logan got prepared to pounce on the doppelganger. He timed it right and grabbed Dark Toshiro's head, taking him to the outskirts of town while avoiding a blast from Mister Freeze.

The former scientist grumbled a bit until Cyborg and Guile came into view, obviously eager to fight. "It seems to me that these people are very supportive of this Assassin. I don't understand why, nor do I understand how he seems to have friends in the Air Force and the Justice League. However, it seems your time has run out," said Freeze. He fired a blast, only for Guile to dodge to the left and Cyborg to fly up using his propulsion rockets. Killer Frost was charging for Cyborg only to get cut off by Guile's 'Flash Kick'.

Once she recovered, she fired icicle spears at the Air Force Major while Cyborg took on Freeze. Guile dodged each and every one of them, flipped upside-down, and kicked her in the face. He finished off by slamming both of his hands on her head and doing a 'Sonic Boom' on her, knocking her out again. He then turned his attention to Freeze, who was being dealt with by Cyborg. Unlike Frost, Freeze had a perfect offense-defense balance, able to keep the other Victor at bay. Cyborg had enough of that, so he charged his Sonic Cannons and fired at the scientist, throwing him off balance and shattering the glass dome. Guile put in some ear plugs and kicked Freeze down, allowing Cyborg to stop. "Well that takes care of that," the Major said.

Cyborg nodded. "Now we have to find the Captain and Logan."

* * *

><p>In the park, Logan dropped off Dark Toshiro who, despite the long jump and the harsh drop-off, still had a sadistic smile on his face. The Assassin got his sword out and was ready to fight. Dark Toshiro backed off to avoid the blade. Toshiro attacked from behind, but the dark doppelganger grabbed the blade and threw him to Logan, who caught him. "Try to focus next time, Captain," said the vigilante.<p>

"Good advice," Toshiro quipped back. He then got his Zanpakuto ready for Bankai state. "Bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru!" After shouting the technique, the Squad 10 Captain had the wings and tail formed from ice. He also had what looked like a couple of shurikens floating on each side of him. Dark Toshiro began to laugh at him. "Do you mind telling me what's so funny?"

"Is that really the best you got? And they call me the copycat." Toshiro scowled as the doppelganger prepped his Zanpakuto in the same manner. "Bankai, Daiguren Oni Hyorinmaru!" When the dust cleared, they saw that Dark Toshiro had the same form as the original, only the wings and tail being a darker shade of blue.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not surprised. I've had Hyorinmaru since my days in the Academy, so I knew you had a dark version of it, since you're a dark version of me."

"In other words, Dark Hitsugaya, you _are_ the copycat," Logan added. The conclusion angered the experiment, so he charged recklessly towards his opponents, only for Logan to clothesline him. He saw that one of Dark Toshiro's shurikens broke, which meant that, due to a lack of concentration, the Bankai was sealed back. Toshiro stabbed his Zanpakuto into the faker's chest and caused it to fade away. "Going into your Bankai state was a waste of time. Why'd you do it?"

"That's an easy question. Normally, I wouldn't do that. But since he was a dark version of me created by the R&D Institute, I came to the conclusion that he had a similar Zanpakuto, and therefore a similar Bankai. I wouldn't have been able to get him to recklessly charge like that without your help. Nice move, by the way."

"It's called a clothesline, a move often used in the WWE. You should try it sometime. It came in handy for me at the tournament."

"I'll keep that in mind. I'll also ask Ichigo to come to the Soul Society with a camera to view Kurotsuchi's reaction when he hears the news. I'm sure you'll want to see it."

* * *

><p>The next day, Logan was sitting on the couch laughing his butt off at Mayuri's reaction to the news. The mad scientist was horrified that Dark Toshiro was destroyed, so Logan thanked God that Ichigo managed to get the reaction on tape and send him the video. "It may not be as good as an episode of 'Hee Haw', but at least it beats a Justin Bieber video any day," he said while eating popcorn.<p>

CHAPTER 8 END

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so that was Chapter 8. We've been having some cold weather in the US, so I thought I'd post this. The next chapter will have Nathaniel and Hal Jordan as well as Hawkman, Wildcat, and the Green Lantern John Stewart.<strong>

**Just for the record, I can't stand Justin Bieber, so that's why I put that reference in there.**


	9. Birds of a Feather

**Birds of a Feather**

In a certain part of the forest lied a grave. The encryption on the tombstone was of an alien language, one that only very few people on Earth know how to translate. Also on the tombstone were carvings of what looked like a mace and a woman with wings. A figure stood over the grave. He looked like a male version of the woman on the tombstone. This man wore gold harnesses in an 'X' pattern connected by a hawk symbol, green pants with gold edges on the boots, a gold mask in the shape of a hawk's head, and gold greaves on his wrists. He also carried an axe with him as well.

He looked at the grave in mourning, knowing who the fallen woman was. He continued to mourn her even now. "Shayera, if there's anything I could do to make it up to you, I would," he said. "Sadly, I haven't the power to bring you back, my love. I will find your treacherous brother, and he will pay for this."

* * *

><p>Logan was at a place called Grant's Gym with one of his mentors. Another one was coaching him from the sidelines. The one Logan was sparring with was an African-American man with black hair on his head and a thick beard. The one doing the coaching was an old man who was in surprisingly good shape. He looked like he seen a lot in his days. His hair was grey and he was in a pair of khaki pants and a button up shirt. This was Ted Grant, the civilian identity of Wildcat who owned the gym. The other one was John Stewart, one of the Green Lanterns of Earth. "That's it, kid. Give him a right hook," said Ted.<p>

Logan didn't say anything, simply blocking John's punch and punching back. Cammy was also watching, still in awe that Logan even knew how to box. The last time she saw him box was against Balrog in the tournament. John and Logan went to punch each other again, but stopped, knowing that time was up. "That was some good practice, kid. Maybe next time, you'll knock me down," John said.

"Please, I haven't even beaten Charlie Nash. What makes you think I can take you down in a real fight?" asked Logan.

"First off, there's confidence. You just have to keep it up. Second, there's the fact that Charlie Nash was an Air Force Lieutenant while I'm an ex-Marine turned Green Lantern. By the way, I think you have a date to get to." Logan looked and saw his Delta Red girlfriend in a pair of grey pants, a red shirt, and a grey jacket. The set was complete with a pair of black high heels, her hair in a ponytail as opposed to the usual pigtails, and the lack of a hat. "I suggest you don't keep her waiting," John teased, knowing that Logan was staring at her.

"At least I have someone waiting for me," the Assassin shot back. This surprised John a little, but he got his joking smile back. "Just let me get washed up and I'll be ready to go, okay, Baby Doll?"

"You got it, Darling," Cammy said.

"Kids these days," quipped Ted.

* * *

><p>After Logan got cleaned up, he and Cammy went to the New York Natural History Museum. Logan normally hated coming to this city, or even the state for that matter. He relented when Cammy pulled the cute 'puppy dog eyes' routine on him. He found it irresistible when she and Chun-Li did it, but also found it ironic on the Brit's part, mainly due to her love for cats. They went to the display about ancient Egypt and admired the hieroglyphs there. Also on display were vases, weaponry, masonry tools, and even animatronic figures. Logan was dressed in his usual t-shirt, jeans, and boots, but as a change-up for this date with Cammy, he also wore a nice jacket she bought him in lieu of his usual hoodie.<p>

The couple got to one display they were particularly interested in. It was a wall depicting two winged people holding hands while many non-winged figures bowed to them. "Is there something off about that picture to you?" asked Cammy.

"Yeah, there is. I've read all the history books, even the Assassins' Guild's, and I don't recall the Ancient Egyptians worshipping a pair of angels," Logan stated.

"They're not angels," said a voice. The voice came from a man dressed in brown pants, a black turtleneck, a brown jacket, and had black hair. "They are from another world. At least, that's what I read from the hieroglyphs. The name's Carter Hall. I'm the curator here at this museum."

"I heard of you. You're biggest field is in archaeology," said Cammy. "You even bring your finds to the museum to be observed."

"Yes, you're right. The Ancient Egyptians worshipped these supposed aliens as their king and queen. However, there is a certain tragic event that caused the deaths of them, most of which is unknown. Rumor has it, though, that their drinks were poisoned by one of the servants. This is highly debatable, though." Carter had a good look at Logan and found him studying the ancient weaponry. "Ah, I see you found the weapons part of the exhibit. You know, these bows and arrows were used by the Egyptian Army."

"Yeah, and the spears were utilized by the guard," said Logan. Carter looked at him in an impressed manner. "I know my way around a few weapons."

"So it's no wonder you know about them. That's good. Even a weapon's history is a good thing to study. What is your most frequently studied long-range weapon?"

"Revolvers. I'm mostly an Old West buff, but it doesn't hurt to delve into different cultures. I mostly study around the American Civil War."

"Ah, yes. The Alamo. That was a hard-fought battle indeed. Though, if you really think about it, neither side won that war. Anyway, I have to get back to my office. Enjoy your visit here."

"We will, Mr. Hall," said Cammy. "He's a nice guy, but a bit on the wrong side. Last I checked, there was a victor. I just can't place who it was."

"Actually, Cammy, there never was a winner. Either way, it never counted towards the tally on the U.S. War Count."

"Hey, Logan," said another voice. Said Assassin pinched the bridge of his nose as Nathaniel approached them. "What are you doing here? Is this your sister?" Cammy was freaked out at the curious behavior.

"No she's not. She's my girlfriend, Nathaniel. Cammy White, this is Nathaniel, or as GL and I like to call him, the 'Silver Lantern'."

"It's nice to meet you." He looked at the display and got a little carried away. "This is so cool! I can't believe the Ancient Egyptians had rulers that bore wings." Suddenly, he felt Logan force him back to their side of the velvet rope. "What'd you do that for?"

"Can't you read? The sign clearly states 'Do Not Touch The Exhibits'. Or did you forget your reading glasses at home?"

"Hey, ease up, man. I didn't see the sign. Although, when you think about it, I guess it should have been obvious."

Cammy shook her head. "Logan honey, can we go now. I think it's obvious that the date's ruined," she said, glaring at Nathaniel.

"Just a sec. Nate, you must've come here for a reason."

"Actually, I did. I saw some weird looking guy driving a car earlier. From what I could tell, he wore a blue uniform, 'V'-shaped icons on it, and had brown hair." The description shocked Logan, so he checked his cell phone to match the description with one of the criminals in the database. "Did you get something?"

"You better believe it. That's Captain Boomerang, one of the Flash's Rouges. As you can guess, his biggest gimmick is boomerang-themed gadgets." Logan looked to Cammy, who nodded. "Date's ruined anyway. Knocking Captain Boomerang around would help our day."

* * *

><p>They got to the nearest bank where Captain Boomerang was at and waited for him to come out. They decided to let Logan handle this since it was his and Cammy's date and Cammy was still in her outfit. He left his jacket with them and went inside despite the police warnings. He went into the bank while Boomerang had his back turned. The rouge was getting tired of waiting for the young woman behind the teller's booth to get the cash in the bag. "C'mon, Missy," he said. "I told you that this was a villain's withdrawal."<p>

Boomerang felt a tap on his shoulder, so he looked and saw Logan, but didn't recognize him without the jacket. "Here's my deposit!" he exclaimed, punching the crook in the face. The bag of money dropped as he stumbled into the booth. Boomerang got angry, but before he could do anything, Logan grabbed him and drug him outside so nothing in the bank would be broken and no one would be hurt. As Captain Boomerang was trying to get up, Logan kicked him down the stairs. The crook got angry and pushed a button on his uniform. This made a pair of wings come out in the shape of a boomerang.

As he got in the air, a winged figure came down and punched him. The winged man tried to slash at him as Logan jumped off a wall. Boomerang moved, making the two of them crash into one another and fall back on the ground. "So what do you call yourself, Birdman?" Logan asked after recovering.

"I call myself Hawkman. What's your codename, Mud?" Hawkman retorted.

"You know I had him, right?"

"As if. You would've missed him by a mile. You don't have any weapons on you."

"I don't need them for someone like Captain Boomerang." Suddenly, they heard someone clearing their throat.

"Are you two done arguing?" said John, who had just arrived. He had his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. He captured Boomerang in a bubble.

* * *

><p>After getting Captain Boomerang in a paddy wagon, John looked at Logan and Hawkman. "I can't believe you two were arguing over who had a common crook! All it took was just one of you two and you didn't even need superpowers!" John lectured. Logan put his head down in shame while Hawkman crossed his arms in a stubborn manner. Nathaniel was shocked that there was another Green Lantern besides Hal in this world. In his own, there was just one and he was the Green's avatar. "I'm talking about you too, Hawkman. At least Logan's old enough to know that that argument shouldn't have taken place."<p>

"Yeah, you're right, Lantern. It shouldn't have taken place. If he'd have just stood aside, Captain Boomerang would've been in jail and you wouldn't have had to interfere," said Hawkman, catching Logan's attention. John decided to let the Assassin say his piece.

"Excuse me. 'If I'd have just stood aside'? It's as I said, I can handle common criminals like Boomerang without the use of my weapons. Besides, if I really have to, I have a special little trick up my sleeve to take care of them. You can ask Solomon Grundy about that," said the Assassin. Before the two could continue further, they were separated by a green wall construct that John created.

"That's enough, you two! Logan, you do have a point. Hal told me about that special little trick of yours that you didn't even show Green Arrow or Nightwing. However, it doesn't mean I'm taking sides in this argument. Now I want you to shake hands and move on." Hawkman didn't even bother, only letting out a snort and flying away. As soon as he got out of earshot, John spoke up again. "You know, I'm not crazy about Hawkman either."

"Then why break up the fight. If you'd have just given me five minutes with that bird brain…"

"It wouldn't have solved anything. You must've been having a bad day, so come back to the gym and let out the stress on the punching bag." Cammy whistled to the two and showed them that Nate was gone. "Now where did he go?"

"Don't worry. I got a lock on him with Spirit Sense. It won't be easy to lose him."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, it turned out that Nathaniel was tailing Hawkman, who didn't even know he was there. He was curious about Hawkman in general, which was common for bird-themed heroes it seemed. For example, he was curious about Bluebird the week prior, but couldn't find her. He also got into Raven's personal space and got his butt kicked because of it. Raven thanked the Lord that he hasn't found out about Nightwing and Red Robin yet or else Batman would have his hide.<p>

The Silver Lantern saw Hawkman diving into a certain part of the forest, so he flew in behind as well. He got to a clearing and saw the winged hero kneeling at a grave. Nathaniel started to move, but stepped on a twig, alerting Hawkman. "Who goes there? Show yourself!" he shouted. Nate came out with his hands up. "You've got a lot of nerve coming here, kid. You're trespassing on sacred ground."

"Fine, I'll just leave and not come back. Cross my heart and hope to die," said Nate.

"You really think I'm going to let you leave that easily, don't you? I'm a pacifist, kid, but I'm afraid that I have to fight anyone who comes here." Hawkman charged at Nathaniel, who put up a shield. Unfortunately, this proved to be ineffective as the winged hero cut right through it like it was paper. Nate was shocked, so he went to the air for a breather. Hawkman chased after him. The Silver Lantern formed a hammer and tried to knock him own. However, he simply destroyed it too. Afterwards, he knocked Nathaniel back to the ground.

Nate decided to try a different approach. His ring tried to read Hawkman's mind, but the helmet wasn't allowing him to. Regardless, Nathaniel formed a construct that looked like a maze and used the invisibility function as well. After walking around for a bit, Hawkman came to a dead end. As Nate was trying to sneak up on him, he accidently stepped on a twig. The winged warrior feigned ignorance as the Silver Lantern got closer. Much to his surprise, Hawkman turned around and clocked him on the head, knocking him out and deactivating the maze.

* * *

><p>At the gym, Logan was punching away at the bag while Cammy was holding it. John was on the bench press with Ted as the spotter. Cammy was back in her usual uniform while Logan was in his jeans and a sleeveless black shirt. She saw that he was reeling back, so she moved out of the way as he punched the bag hard. It knocked it off its hook and sent it hurling to a wall. "Sorry to scare you like that, Cammy," Logan said.<p>

"N-No worries…hun," she said, still shocked at the sheer strength of the punch. John and Ted were just as surprised, but the former was more shocked that the wall was able to take it.

"I guess you were that frustrated at Hawkman, weren't you?" asked the Green Lantern. "What I'd like to know is how on Earth did that wall take that much force from the punching bag being hit that hard and not have a crack in it?"

It was Ted's turn to answer. "That's simple, John. I had the walls reinforced with Titanium in case Superman or one of his protégés came in. I guarantee you that not even Steel can break this." They heard Logan's cell phone go off, so he answered it.

"What's up, Nathaniel?" he asked.

"_This isn't Nathaniel,"_ said the voice on the other end.

"What the-? Where is he, Hawkman?" This shocked the other three present in the room.

"_He's perfectly safe. We're at a clearing in the forest. I'll kick in his homing beacon so you'll know where to find him."_ After that, they hung up. Cammy dug into hers and Logan's bag and handed him his sword, jacket, and hidden blades.

"Now hold on, kid," said Ted. They looked at him as he removed his clothes, revealing a costume under them. He reached back and covered the top half of his face with a cowl in the shape of a panther. "You're not going to leave without the Wild Man, are you?"

"Ted, this is Hawkman we're dealing with. You could get yourself killed." They saw that Wildcat had a smirk on his face. "Okay, if you really want to."

After the other three left, John changed into his Green Lantern uniform and contacted someone. "Hey, it's me. I might need some help here," he said.

* * *

><p>Logan, Cammy, and Wildcat got to the forest where Hawkman said Nathaniel would be. As they were walking, they saw the winged man waiting for them. Logan looked at one of the branches and saw Nate in a net. The Silver Lantern grinned nervously and shrugged as well. "I see you've come," said Hawkman. "You know it was foolish of any of you to come here."<p>

"That's okay with us. If you don't mind, we'd like to take our friend back," said Logan.

"But I do mind. He trespassed on sacred ground." Logan looked and saw what Hawkman meant. A tombstone was standing behind him. "And now, you're on sacred ground as well. Prepare to do battle, kid. I hope you put up much more of a fight than he did."

"Sorry I can't get out of this so easily, Logan. It seems my ring has no effect on him," Nate said.

"That armor and axe are made of Nth metal. Your ring is magic as opposed to the Lanterns in this universe, Nate. Nth metal disrupts it. This essentially means that that little trick of mine isn't going to work either." Hawkman smirked at the knowledge Logan had about Nth metal before attacking him. Logan put up his sword and blocked the axe that was swinging down on him. He then planted his foot on Hawkman's stomach and flipped him backwards before putting his sword up and rushing towards him. "Shoryuken!" he exclaimed.

Before the winged warrior could recover, the attack hit him in the chin. He grabbed Logan's wrist, brought him into the sky, and tossed him to the ground hard. Logan landed on his back as Hawkman dove down with another slash from his axe. The Assassin rolled out of the way and dodged the blade of the weapon, much to Cammy and Wildcat's relief. He kicked Hawkman in the face and threw one of his Trick Knives, which turned out to be a shock emitter. _'Incredible,'_ Hawkman thought as he was recovering. _'I have more experience than he does, but he's using strategy and gadgets like Batman and Green Arrow. I believe I might have found my rival in combat.'_

The winged hero charged for Logan, who charged back, but both of them were surrounded by green orbs. They looked in the air and saw John descending with Hal Jordan. Hal's orb was surrounding Hawkman while John had Logan in his. "Now what did I say before?" asked John.

"It's not like we were fighting over who had a common crook this time," said Hawkman, getting a glare from Logan.

"Katar, you know what he means," said Hal. All of a sudden, it clicked with Logan and Cammy while Wildcat smirked.

"Wait, what's your name?" asked Logan.

"My name is Katar Hol. As you must specialize in the extraterrestrial and supernatural, you must be Logan Washburn. You must also know that I'm from the planet Thanagar."

"And that grave must belong to someone you loved, doesn't it?" Katar nodded. "Your name on Earth is Carter Hall, the museum curator, isn't it? If someone were to trespass on my loved ones' graves, I'd be ticked too."

"You're smarter than you look." Logan scowled at him, but smirked afterwards. "That belongs to the late daughter of the King of Thanagar. After some treachery, her brother, Corsar Thal, took the throne. The princess' name was Shayera, who was also my greatest enemy due to Corsar faking his death. He and I never really liked each other." By then, John and Hal let them out of their bubbles as they were finally talking to each other. "By the way, that sword of yours looks like it's from the medieval era. Who's was it?"

"This belonged to the Assassin Mentor Altair Ibn la-Ahad. Its previous owner was Ezio Auditore da Firenze, however. This thing has some years on it, but I've managed to maintain its condition. Like most of my arsenal, it's made from a combination of Titanium and Nth metal. I've sort of been using quite a bit of it."

Hawkman smirked at the Assassin. "You're alright, kid."

"Logan, I hate to ruin this moment of a newfound friendship, but Nathaniel's escaped," said Cammy. Logan and Hawkman looked and saw that the net was cut open.

"How did he do that? I thought his particular ring was made from magic."

"I'm starting to think that Nathaniel's ring isn't entirely magic." Logan then smirked. "I'm also starting to like that little weasel more and more. Anyways, we have to get back to St. Louis. I took a break at Bluebird and Cyborg's recommendations, but we're investigating a robot army that Lex Luthor's built in his company."

"Well count me in. I'd be happy to take them on when he releases them," said Hawkman, holding out his hand. Logan shook it in response.

CHAPTER 9 END

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so that was the chapter that introduced Hawkman. This was also the first time that Logan has genuinely fought another hero, not counting Nathaniel. Now he and Cammy have to get back and investigate the scrap pile that Logan made of Luthor's robots. What will happen next?<strong>


	10. Attack of the Clowns!

**Attack of the Clowns!**

In the hideout, Logan had invited Red Robin and Bluebird over to help him with the scrap pile. They had discovered that Lex used his own motherboard design to combine the different technologies instead of one of the different planets'. Tim and Harper looked at him in a curious manner, figuring he found something…well, Tim was. Bluebird was looking on the monitors for a closer look at the circuitry as well as trouble in the city. So far, there was none of the latter, but a news broadcast was on one of the screen. She knew which channel it was on since Bruce had her and Tim watching it to keep up with current events. She looked at the clock and shook her head, knowing that a certain critic was about to do his usual rant against the Justice League. _"Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen, and welcome to another episode of _The Godfrey Globe_,"_ said a host, catching the guys' attention. _"I'm your host: G. Gordon Godfrey."_

"Oh not this guy," Logan complained. He has a major dislike for political news, mostly showing favor to the weather, but Godfrey took the cake since he has shown major criticism against the Justice League, even though the Assassin wasn't part of it.

"_Today, we're here to talk about one of the Justice League's most unexpected members. This has come to a head since a TV studio has decided that Logan Washburn, St. Louis' vigilante and staunch member of the Assassin's Guild, needed an archenemy to boost their ratings."_

"Oh come on, you jerk! Logan's not even in the League because of his killing record!" Bluebird exclaimed.

"_This, folks, is what these Leaguers care about: their image. I said it before and I'll say it again. Image is all that matters to them. As long as they can cash in on their image, they feel that they can do what they want. Well it looks like the young Assassin has decided to do the same. It's sad to see how many saps have lined up to be an archvillain to a man whose killing record has stained the Justice League's so-called 'no-kill rule'. I bet they do that in secret and have him set it all up. Even the Batman must be cashing in on this."_

"This guy is a real pain," said Red Robin.

"He's making this baseless crap up to get on our nerves, Tim. And it's sad to say this, but it's working. Unfortunately, Godfrey's entitled to his own opinion. My question is what's Batman going to do about it, especially since this is the first time that blowhard in a business suit called him out as well?"

"…_oh, and it looks like the results are in for the new supervillain that will be Logan's archnemesis. And the result is…oh dear. Ladies and Gentleman, if you have coulrophobia, you might want to stay indoors. The selected supervillain is Captain Clown, a man who possesses similarities to the Joker and Firefly. Armed with tricks inside of his clown suit, he has a tendency to burn everything in his destructive path. You people need to wake up! This insanity is why Logan Washburn doesn't need an archenemy! They'd only cause destruction everywhere they go! It's madness, I tell you!"_

Bluebird switched off the TV, still ticked that Godfrey was bashing Logan, even though he wasn't in the Justice League. "That guy is really ticking me off! He sees you helping other heroes and he automatically thinks you're in the Justice League!" she exclaimed, mainly to the Assassin.

"Take it easy, Harper. Nothing Godfrey says will affect me one way or the other. Still, I do agree with him on one thing," he said, getting looks of confusion from the two Bat Family members. "With this business with Lex Luthor going on, the last thing I need is an archenemy, especially a clown who likes to play with fire."

"So what are you going to do now?" Red Robin asked.

"I'm going to step outside for a bit. Care to join me, guys?"

* * *

><p>When they got outside, the three vigilantes were looking around for any sign of Captain Clown. This was to make sure they caught him off guard so he doesn't hurt very many citizens. Logan knew that there were a few that could get hurt, so he wanted to minimize the casualties as much as possible. He may be an Assassin, but it's not like he enjoys it. Sadly, since he was drafted on account of his dad (much like Conner, Ezio, and Altair), he didn't have much of a choice. Still, he took the opportunities the Guild gave him to protect his friends and loved ones like any vigilante. It really disappointed him that Godfrey would try and turn the world against him and the League.<p>

Red Robin saw something, so he zoomed in and activated the Detective Vision built into his domino mask. He saw a figure that looked like he was juggling something. He switched the Detective Vision off and saw a slim man wearing an evil clown mask juggling torches. He wore a captain's hat and a jumpsuit that had four different patterns. On his upper-left, he had a blue-and-orange striped pattern; his upper-right was red with white polka dots; his lower-right had a candy cane pattern; and his lower-left had polka dots that were white with a blue background. "Logan, I think I found your new clown," said Red Robin.

Logan and Bluebird looked and saw the same thing. "Huh," Logan said. "He looked much scarier on TV. Still, if he throws those torches, we're going to have one big barbecue. That is definitely something we don't need."

"I'm already on it." Red Robin threw a birdarang, which hit a fire hydrant that was near Captain Clown. The birdarang had a mini-bomb on it, which exploded and caused water to hit the pyromaniac, putting out his torches in the process. He looked and saw the trio jump down to surround him.

He took a look at them and laughed, which turned out to be more menacing than the Joker's. "You three don't look very impressive, not even you, Assassin!" he exclaimed. "Still, if you come to watch my fireworks show, you guys have earned yourselves some front-row seats!" The maniac jumped up and sent bombs flying towards all three of them. Red Robin threw a birdarang while Logan sent a Trick Knife at his bomb. Bluebird couldn't draw her gun fast enough, so she got sent back by the shockwave. As Captain Clown was about to plant his foot on her, Logan grabbed him with the chain blade and drug the clown towards him. This was followed up by Logan flipping and slamming Captain Clown to the ground. "Oh, now you're making me a very sad clown."

He reached into his sleeve and, against the laws of physics, pulled out a very large flaming hammer. By this point, Bluebird had already recovered and was prepared to dodge the hits. Logan gave her and Red Robin each a smoke pellet to throw on the ground. As Captain Clown was about to hit the area between them, they threw their smoke bombs down and disappeared. He was getting frustrated, but put on a smile—not that anyone could tell on account of the mask. "Come out, come out, wherever you are, children. Captain Clown just wants to play."

As soon as he got over a manhole cover, Logan saw his chance. "Shoryuken!" he shouted. The uppercut sent Captain Clown a little into the air along with the lid, giving the Assassin enough time to get out of the tunnel wearing his Titanium knuckles. Bluebird and Red Robin were on the rooftops with a string stretched in the landing zone. The clown saw this and pressed a button on his suit. "Oh great, it's the Trickster all over again!" Logan exclaimed, remembering his team-up with the Arrow Team from an alternate dimension.

Captain Clown did his maniacal laugh again. "I guess it's true what they say: Some folks are just filled with hot air!" Logan, Bluebird, and Red Robin were mad since the plan didn't work. However, they also knew to try and come up with a different plan. Time wasn't on their side since Captain Clown was by far deadlier than the Trickster.

Suddenly, they heard a familiar laugh, so they looked at the rooftops and saw a man with bleached skin, wild green hair, and red lips. He wore his iconic purple and green suit and a perpetual smile. Even a complete idiot would know that this was the Joker, the Bat Family's most frequent foe, especially Batman and Nightwing's. "Tell me, kids. How did you like my latest discovery?" he asked. "You know, I found him at a comedy club. A real laugh, that one is."

"Joker. No, we don't like him. It's a wonder he doesn't have tomato stains on his suit," Bluebird joked, getting a smirk from the psychotic clown.

"Well, now that you mention it, he wasn't the most popular comedian out there. I should know. I've been there before."

"Was this before or after your little bath?"

"Oh who remembers, bird boy? Hey, stop me if you've heard this song before: _Jingle Bells, Batman smells. Robin laid an egg,"_ Joker began before being attacked by an enraged Red Robin.

"He must really hate that song," said Bluebird.

"Considering he's the third Robin and Nightwing was the original, yeah. He hates it," Logan said. "You help him deal with Joker. I'll have to put in a special call to the Watchtower."

Bluebird nodded and joined Red Robin in chasing Joker down. She took out her smaller gun since it was better for these types of chases. She fired at Joker to throw him off balance, but he kept making her miss, ticking her off. Red Robin had the same results, which cost him a few birdarangs. Joker, in response, pulled out a bottle of acid and squirted it at the two of them. The Clown Prince of Crime was increasing the gap between him and the heroes, but they weren't about to give up so easily.

Red Robin touched the bird symbol on his chest and activated his jet pack while picking up Bluebird by the hand. The two of them caught up to the Joker and Bluebird fired a couple of shots to divert him. She was behind him while Red Robin was in front of him. "Oh come on. I had just escaped Harley's wrath and Batman's grip. I think I could use a day without dealing with his pet bird brains. And without the original Robin, things are a whole lot easier," he said.

"For once in your life, just shut up!" Red Robin exclaimed.

"Now why is it that the even-numbered Robins always have the worst luck? I killed the second one while the fourth one's clone killed him. Lucky for the former, he was resurrected by that al Ghul fellow." He saw that Bluebird was confused, but Red Robin was even more ticked now than he was before. He charged at the psychotic clown with his electrified Bo staff, but Joker got him with Joker Gas from the flower on his lapel. Bluebird fired a couple of shots at the villain, but only one hit him on the arm before he got away.

She went to check on Tim, who was about to have a laughing fit. She got on the comlink to call Logan in order to report the bad news. "Logan, I'm afraid we have a problem," she said.

"_What is it, Bluebird?"_

"Joker got away, but not without giving Red Robin his own version of the chuckles. He's out of commission."

"_Don't worry. I just called in Superboy and the Watchtower's going to bring in a special ex-member of the Suicide Squad, much to her reluctance. Take Red Robin back to the hideout and meet us in the alleyway near 30__th__ Street."_

* * *

><p>After a while, Bluebird put Red Robin in bed and used an anesthetic to get him to stop laughing. She met Logan in the alley where he said and saw a black-haired teenager wearing a black shirt with an 'S' shield logo, blue jeans, and a pair of brown boots. They were also joined by a pale-skinned girl who wore a black-and-red look consisting of a corset, a pair of short shorts, and boots. She even had her hair red on the right side and black on the left. "Do you mind telling me what's going on? Why's the Joker's girlfriend here?" Bluebird asked.<p>

"Ex-girlfriend," Logan corrected. "We had them put Harley Quinn's sentence on suspension until we get Joker and Captain Clown in the pin. J'onn and I took a risk regarding her psyche due to her wanting revenge on the Joker for years of abuse. As for Superboy, I think it's pretty obvious since Captain Clown's a pyromaniac."

"Pretend it's not."

"Kon-El's physiology—or at least, the Kryptonian side—is resistant to fire, similar to the jackets we're wearing. He'll be able to endure the fire that Captain Clown dishes out."

"But who's going to make sure Harley doesn't double-cross us or kill the Joker?"

"We'll have to work that one out," Superboy said before leaning in to Bluebird's ear. "I will tell you this, though: she tried to kiss Logan on the cheek. I think she was trying to flirt with him." Bluebird was shocked at the revelation. She didn't know why, but either she felt jealous of Harley or protective of the Assassin. Either way, she shot the ex-psychiatrist a glare.

"Since Captain Clown and the Joker are here, I know a good place to check out," said Harley.

"Where at?"

"Well Joker did enjoy the carnival. And if I recall right, the circus is in town."

* * *

><p>They had a look around the circus, but they weren't exactly going at the fastest pace, mainly due to kids and fan-girls admiring Logan and Superboy. While they were cute, Conner was dating Miss Martian again while Logan had Cammy and Chun-Li. The ones who didn't know Conner were admiring his shirt while the ones that did were either taking a selfie with him andor Logan or asking for their autographs. Bluebird's fear at the moment was also Harley's frustration. Luckily, Superboy rectified that by grabbing on to Logan and jumping out of the crowd and to the big top. "Now that's one way to get out of the dog pile," said Harley.

Bluebird hummed in agreement before going with her to catch up to the boys. As soon as the four of them were regrouped, they went inside the tent to take care of the clowns. They had a look around, but couldn't find them. Logan resorted to kicking in his Spirit Sense to find them. The end result was a shock. "Joker's above us! Move!" he announced. Everyone moved out of the way and saw Joker on a pogo stick with a knife where the base was supposed to be. "Oh great, now you've got a killer pogo stick."

"Now who says that we're too old to play kid's games?" said the clown before he went after the Assassin. Logan was about to prepare another 'Shoryuken', but the Joker got knocked off his pogo stick with an oversized mallet. He looked and saw his third worst nightmare behind Nightwing and Batman. "H-Harley? What are you doing here? Still can't get enough of your old Mister J? And to think, I got you some flowers." They saw that he had flowers in his hand, but Harley knew Joker all-too-well.

"I don't want any of your flowers, Joker! What I want is to see you suffer for making me into this!" This concerned the others, but Logan and Conner knew that Harley would live up to her end of the deal. "You will pay for all those years you've used me, left me to the cops, and for every cake and pie you shoved in my face! You may think that I don't have any friends, but I do. There are people who care about me. There's Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Logan, and even Bats. But you, you never cared! I should've never met you!"

At the mention of Logan and Batman's names, Joker grew frustrated. Harley tried to flatten him with the hammer, but this time, Joker backhanded her to the shock of the three heroes. "I can't believe that they tried to get me to face my old punching bag." He grabbed her by the hair and took a knife out. "Now, let's put a smile back on your face."

"Do your worst." Joker smiled, but before he could do anything, Bluebird shot his hand while Logan Flash Stepped and clotheslined him. Before the Clown Prince of Crime could touch him, the Assassin did a backflip, which was followed by Harley sending him to the strength tester. While he was recovering, she jumped and brought her hammer down on the machine, sending Joker up to ring the bell with his head. Once he was knocked out, Harley took deep breaths to calm herself down. "You should be happy I'm not going to kill you, you psychopath!"

Logan placed a hand on her shoulder in concern. "Are you okay, Harley?" he asked.

"He has caused me many years of abuse and it snapped months ago. So to answer your question…yeah, I'm much better," she answered before hugging him. He was shocked, but he eventually hugged her back in comfort. Suddenly, she felt him tense up. "What's wrong? Is your girlfriend here?"

"No. It's Captain Clown. This is where you come in, Superboy."

"You got it," said Conner.

"Aw, and I was hoping to surprise you!" said the pyromaniac. They looked and saw that he was standing on what looked like a junk pile. "Still, I've got a little present for all four of you! What happened to Red Robin? Did he fly the coop? Maybe Batman should've given him the name 'Chicken'!" Since Red Robin was like a brother to the three heroes (Logan through Nightwing), they charged at Captain Clown, only to be sent back by the flames that emerged from the junk pile, most notably from a large metal sphere. They looked and saw the scrap pile begin to take form.

What Captain Clown stood on now was a machine that was in the shape of a clown's body. It had a white torso and arms, red legs, and blue shoulders. The torso was where the flames were coming from. On the top was where Captain Clown stood. "That is one big bozo-bot," said Logan. Conner agreed with him on that while Harley and Bluebird were still shocked. The robot walked past them, nearly crushing them as he left them behind, Joker included. "Superboy, are you ready to dead-leg this thing?"

"You better believe it." The cops came to retrieve Joker as the three heroes and Harley went after the robot. "Harley, I'm going to need your hammer!" Superboy exclaimed. Harley didn't understand why, but complied anyways. After grabbing the hammer, Superboy did a long jump and smashed the hammer behind the robot's kneecap, sending its knee away and causing it to lose balance. Bluebird followed up by firing a missile from her big gun at the other leg, destroying the kneecap on that. Superboy gave Harley back the hammer, jumped up, and knocked the robot face-down.

Captain Clown got knocked off and was pretty ticked about it. He took out a portable Gatling Gun and fired burning 'BANG!' flags at the three of them, not even noticing Logan. The Assassin tried to do a takedown, but Captain Clown managed to get out of his grip. The villain tried to punch him, but he grabbed his fist and twisted his arm. This was followed by a knee to the stomach and a push down to the ground. Captain Clown was faking being out cold, however, as he grabbed Logan's ankle and tripped him up.

The new clown took out his giant burning hammer and was about to hit his foe until he felt something hit his foot. It turned out to be the heel on Logan's boot. The vigilante pushed up with one arm and kicked Captain Clown in the chin. Before he landed, Logan followed that up with a series of attacks in quick succession. Eventually, Captain Clown was beaten.

* * *

><p>After Captain Clown and the Joker were arrested and Harley turned herself back in as part of the agreement, Logan, Bluebird, and Superboy went back to the hideout to check on Red Robin. They saw that he was fully awake and at the scrap pile of Luthor's robots. "How are you feeling, Tim?" Conner asked.<p>

"Welcome back, guys. I'm feeling much better. What happened to Captain Clown and the Joker?"

"We caught them with a bit of help from Harley Quinn," Bluebird answered, getting a chuckle from Red Robin.

"Dick's favorite villainess," he said.

"What did you think about Captain Clown, Logan?" asked Conner.

"I know I originally said I didn't need an archenemy and I still hold on to that philosophy. However, if he breaks out of jail, then Captain Clown is a fun one to face. I need to let loose every once in a while."

"You're also going to have to take him seriously like we do the Joker," said Bluebird. "I know you don't underestimate your opponents. This should apply to Captain Clown as well." Even with the domino mask on, Logan saw the concern in her eyes.

"Okay, Harper. I'll be careful from now on," he said after a bit. "But now, we have to get back to the scrap pile and see what Tim found. Maybe it'll help us beat Luthor."

"After I calmed down from that laughing fit that the Joker put me in, I managed to find these among the robots," Red Robin said, getting Logan, Bluebird, and Superboy to join him. They saw five circuit boards with the same design and logo on them. "Instead of combining the circuits on different motherboards, Luthor managed to get these robots up and running with some of his own design. That's how they were able to stay running."

"Then all we need to do is send a virus to LexCorp's networks and disable the robots. Normally, I'd want to take it down from the inside out, but I don't want the Atom or the rest of the League to get in trouble, especially since Lex doesn't pay much mind to the Covert Ops Team or the Assassin's Guild."

"I'll go tell Superman and the rest of the League. That includes the Team," said Superboy.

"And we'll tell Batman. Logan, you need to keep below the radar as much as you can if you don't want Godfrey to slam you again."

"You got slammed by Godfrey?"

"He slammed me and Batman, Conner," said Logan. "He even accused me of being in the League itself instead of just assisting them."

"Sounds like I better let the League know about that too. Green Arrow, Flash, Hal, and John aren't going to like it, though."

"I'll live."

CHAPTER 10 END

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so now, I have brought in Logan's new archenemy Captain Clown, as well as the Joker and Harley Quinn for the villains and Superboy for the heroes. The next chapter is a Nathaniel chapter with two more heroes and another villain I have yet to bring in. Also, for anyone wanting Dick Grayson to return or have Logan or Cloak team up with Batman or Batgirl, I'll get to that later. Since this is like a New 52 version of <strong>_**Batman: The Brave and The Bold**_** with the OCs being the main focus as opposed to Batman, Batgirl has a higher chance of teaming up with one of them than the Dark Knight does. The same goes with Superman and Wonder Woman.**


	11. How to Be a Hero

**How to Be a Hero**

In Coast City, Nathaniel was in his cave thinking his situation over. He knew that his reception wasn't exactly the warmest given that one of the first people he fought was Hal Jordan. It didn't help matters that he shook hands with Lex Luthor after he unveiled the cyborg project. It was only after he, Logan, and Cammy met Hawkman that he and Hal were starting to lighten up around him. He knew that earning the trust of both the Assassin and Bluebird was extremely hard, the latter being that the Bat Family, especially Batman, doesn't trust anyone so easily and the former was stubborn (at least in his point of view).

He mainly thought of certain traits of a Green Lantern and wondered if the rings he was having made had a power source of some sorts. He then remembered that when he met Hal, he had some sort of lantern with him. He also remembered that Alan Scott didn't have the same thing, which confirmed that Hal wasn't with The Green, but the Green Lantern Corp. He also remembered that he bought supplies from a different tech store and decided to see what he could do to make a Silver Lantern battery. The voice in his ring had told him the supplies and he managed to acquire them at a decent price. Suddenly, his ring started glowing and it made a construct on its own. It was a humanoid figure with no face on him. "I don't quite know what's going on, but I'd like to," he said.

"_Greetings, Nathaniel. Your curiosity feeds me. Now I am curious myself. What are you working on?"_ the construct asked, surprising Nate with the fact that it could talk.

"I'm trying to build a power battery for some special rings that Lex Luthor is working on. So far, I can't tell if I'm having any luck at the moment. It will be cool to see, though."

"_If you don't mind, why don't we try it out?"_ At the suggestion, Nathaniel switched on the lantern and aimed his ring towards it. The reaction wasn't quite what he had hoped. A shockwave sent him and the construct back to the wall. They looked and saw that the lantern was glowing in all colors of the Emotional Spectrum. _"Well, I'd say you haven't had any luck."_

"Good point. It's changing different colors. Red…Orange…Yellow…Green…Blue…Indigo…and Violet. This probably wouldn't go so well if it came in contact with a Lantern of those colors. I better put it in the vault." He opened a safe that Luthor gave him and put the defunct lantern in it. "By the way, do you have a name?" he asked the construct.

"_No I do not."_

"Hmm. How does the name 'Mr. Grey' sound to you?" The construct made a motion like he was thinking.

"_Well, I am a construct. The closest to a design I have is this humanoid form. I approve of the name,"_ said the newly-named Mr. Grey.

"I better get out of the cave and get some fresh air. It might help the brain a little. I also have to come up with a new costume design. I can't look like a copy of Jordan all the time."

* * *

><p>In the city, Nate was walking around looking for something to do. He went into a store to get something to drink. A poster caught his attention showing a girl in a grey dress in the seat of a robot. The girl had black hair on her as well as red stockings. She had on a pair of skull earrings as well. "Well, she's pretty cute. I wonder if I'll ever get to meet her," he said to himself. Nate then saw that it was advertising a video game. "Oh, they're remaking <em>The Misadventures of Tron Bonne.<em> I never was able to play that game. I wonder how it did."

"The original didn't do so hot and the remake never actually happened. They're pulling a joke, man," said a voice. Nate turned around and saw a man who was dressed in a blue-and-gold bodysuit with gold shades to match. The gloves, boots, and torso were as gold as his hair was blonde. He had a blue star in the middle of his chest. The Silver Lantern could tell he was a hero of some sorts. "I should know. I'm from the future. I can't reveal too much or it'll damage the time stream. My name's Booster Gold, by the way. It's nice to meet you, Nathaniel."

It didn't take anyone of Gorilla Grodd's intelligence to figure out that Nate was baffled. "H-How did you know my name? I never even heard of anyone from my dimension named Booster Gold."

"That's because I'm from this dimension, but like I said, I'm from the future. I'll see you later, dude. Oh, and tell Cloak and Logan I said hi." After Booster Gold left, Nathaniel grew suspicious of this particular hero. He decided not to dwell on it. He grabbed a grape soda, paid for it, and then left the store.

* * *

><p>When he was walking around the city some more, he came across some kids at an orphanage. Most of them were playing, but one kid was sitting on some stairs. He had blackdark brown hair and wore a red hoodie, blue jeans, and sneakers. Nate believed that no one even bothered to look his way…and he felt bad about it. He decided to approach the boy.

Billy Batson was not exactly the most social kid. Under the usual circumstances, he wound up at the orphanage. What was unusual was that he came across a supernatural force that gave him powers when he shouted a key word. From the eyes of the public, it would look like he wasn't invited. However, if one knew what went through Billy's mind—and heart—they would discover that he didn't play with them because he didn't want to endanger them. "Hey," he heard a voice say. "You look like you could use a friend."

He looked up and saw a guy wearing what looked like worn blue jeans with stripes on them, a sleeveless hoodie with a patched-up rip in the chest. From a distance, the patch looked like the Superman symbol, but it was actually the logo for Warner Bros. He had on a white T-shirt underneath the hoodie as well. "No I don't," Billy said.

"It looked like it to me. My name's Nathaniel. What's yours?" There was a long pause, which told Nathaniel the most anti-social answer he could get. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me. I can see now that you'd rather be left alone…"

"My name's Billy," the kid said. "And if you knew what I was capable of, then you would understand why I keep a distance from the other kids. For their sake, as well as the sake of other people, I'd rather not show you or tell you too much. My problems are my own. I'll solve them on my own."

"From what I learned, that's never the solution. Sure, it's hard for superheroes to maintain any sort of friendship, Billy, but you won't ever be happy if you don't try. I'm still trying to get along with people my age, but they don't like me too well. The closest thing to a friend is a superhero I just met today named Booster Gold. He's a bit of a nutjob, but at least he didn't give me the cold shoulder like most people do."

Billy was shocked since the topic of superheroes wasn't brought up. Nathaniel must've figured that his power made him something of a hero. "Well, thanks for the tip anyways, Nathaniel," he said. "I'll try to take in your advice." Nate smiled and nodded as Billy went inside. He decided to head back into the cave to try making a battery again. Neither one had any idea that there was a shadowy figure lurking in the trees.

* * *

><p>When Nate got back to the cave, he turned on the radio to listen to some music. There were very few channels he could pick up, but he settled in on a Jazz station since he got the best reception from it. It took him a while, but he put together another battery. He didn't activate it this time because of what happened the last time. He was skeptical, especially since the last one went on the fritz, so to speak. <em>"I do not understand why you won't activate the battery,"<em> said Mr. Grey, surprising Nate.

"Oh, right, you're a construct, so you'll appear out of nowhere. I can't activate it because I'm afraid I might get the same result: shockwave and shining different colors. I honestly don't know what to do here."

"_I see."_ Mr. Grey turned on the battery, but this time, it kept flashing red. The aura was also fluctuating, something Nate didn't see as a good sign.

"Oh crap." The next thing he and Mr. Grey knew, there was a mini explosion that sent them back a few feet. He got up and looked around to see that there wasn't much damage done. "Well, it's a good thing that I wasn't in my apartment back home. The landlady would have my neck." He saw Mr. Grey getting up and was a little peeved. "This is why I didn't want to switch it on yet."

"_Sorry. Curiosity got the better of me,"_ the construct groaned, making Nate shake his head.

"Well, I guess we better get the place cleaned up. As much as we can anyway…"

* * *

><p>Back at the orphanage, everyone was asleep except for Billy. He couldn't help but mull on Nate's advice about friends. There were a total of 7 kids in the orphanage and he was the one loner. The woman who ran the orphanage tried to encourage him to play with the other kids, but he made his choice of being alone. At 15 years old, he felt that he couldn't associate himself with the others too often, but he looked to a black-haired girl who was like an older sister to him. Mary had always looked after him because she felt that no one should be alone. He smiled, very much appreciative of what she was trying to do.<p>

Billy looked back outside at the moon and wondered if Nathaniel was right about heroes having friends. He also wondered if any one of them would find a good home besides the orphanage. Suddenly, he heard a sound coming from the kitchen. The teenager went to check it out, hoping that they weren't being robbed. Since it was the middle of the night, Billy took his baseball bat and went downstairs. This didn't come without stirring a couple of teenagers awake, though. Mary got up and woke the nearest kid to her, a blonde-haired pre-teen. "Freddie, wake up. Billy must've heard something," she said.

Freddie stirred and got up. The two of them went to join Billy to check things out. When they caught up to him, he shushed them before they could make a sound. They saw a man dressed in dark green from head to toe. He even had a question mark on his sweater. "Eh, I don't see why the boss wants to come here so bad. This place has got nothing good around here," said the burglar. Billy was sneaking up on the crook when a purple gas came out of nowhere and the kids passed out. Suddenly an evil laugh was heard as the crooks took the three of them and set the orphanage on fire.

* * *

><p>Back at the cave, Nathaniel noticed that the radio wasn't playing music anymore. <em>"We interrupt this program to bring you this breaking news!"<em> said the announcer on the radio. _"There is currently a fire at the Coast City. Firefighters are doing their best, but it begs the question: Where is the Justice League?"_

"That doesn't sound good. Billy lives there," said Nate. "Hal might be a bit busy right now. I better go check it out and see if the kids are alright."

* * *

><p>He got to the orphanage and saw that it was still on fire. The head of the orphanage was taking a head count and saw that three of the orphans were missing. She saw Nathaniel approaching them. "Miss, is everything alright?" he asked.<p>

"No, it's not alright. Billy is missing, and so are Mary and Freddie. I-I think they might be in the building still," she said, panicking. Nate rushed in there, ignoring the warnings from the firefighters. He looked around for the three of them and found a baseball bat in the kitchen. He couldn't find anyone else in the building though, so he picked up the bat and came out. "Did you find them?"

"No sign of them, but I'm assuming this bat belongs to one of the kids." The caretaker and the kids had a look at it and immediately recognized it.

"Yes. It belongs to Billy." Nathaniel pondered some more until he looked up and saw Booster Gold coming. "Oh my, a superhero is just what we need," said the caretaker. "But who are you?"

"No worries, kids. Booster Gold, Man of the Future, is here to help save the day," said Booster. He even shone his signature smile, but the kids and the caretaker had confused looks on their faces. Nate, in the meantime, did a facepalm at Booster's antics.

"Well, Booster, now that you're here, maybe you can help me with a missing person's case. In this case, three kids have gone missing as the orphanage was set on fire," said Nate. "These three are Billy Batson, Mary Batson, and Freddy Freeman. I'm afraid that something must've happened to them."

"Well then I say we split up and look for clues," said Booster, getting a look from Nate that said 'Really?' As they were looking, Booster came across a peculiar note with a purple question mark. "Hey, Nate, you might want to have a look at this!"

"What is it?" He had a good look at the note, but it seemed like it was a puzzle of sorts. "'I bet you can't get all the facts Wright. You need to look on the more Constructive side of things'. Is there a villain that I need to know about with this kind of motif?"

"There is only one villain who operates in riddles. His name was originally Edward Nashton, who used to work for the Gotham City Police Department, but was discharged from it. His codename back when Batman was starting out was 'Enigma'. He then had his name changed from 'Nashton' to 'Nygma' while his codename became 'The Riddler'. He has an unhealthy obsession with proving himself to be better than Batman in the intelligence department."

Nate had a look at the clue and figured out that when it comes to Riddler's puzzles, the most obvious answer isn't always the right one. Some would take it as an insult, but the words 'Wright' and 'Constructive' were capitalized. "If you're really from the future, then you can lead me to Wright Construction Company, right?"

Booster smiled at the question. "All you had to do was ask," he said. Booster and Nate flew with Nate changing into his Silver Lantern costume, which now consisted of a silver jacket with his insignia on it, a black shirt and pants, and silver boots, along with a silver domino mask.

* * *

><p>They got to the Wright Construction Company building, which looked like it was abandoned, and went inside. "About 5 years before now, this place was bought out and shut down by Masters Corporation. You're not familiar with him, but Ken Masters is the current heir to the company by this time. His father was the one who shut it down to reduce the amount of competition. It never sat so well with the people of Coast City, so Wayne Enterprise helps out in reconstruction and charity events," Booster said, telling the story behind the building.<p>

"How do you know all this?" asked Nate.

"As a time travelling hero from the future, History has to be one of my strong points. It's pretty much logic."

Suddenly, a projector kicked in and shone on a wall. It was an image of a man dressed in green with purple question marks. He had a green formal suit with a purple shirt and tie, a green bowler hat with a purple question mark, a green domino mask, green pants, purple shoes and gloves. He carried a cane with a question mark on the end of it. _"Well, well, I didn't expect another reject here. Though I was looking for Silver, I'll happily take Gold as well,"_ said the man. Naturally, Nate and Booster were ticked at being called rejects, but they knew that this man was the Riddler, so they weren't surprised.

"Where are the kids, Nygma?" asked Nate.

"_Straight to the point, I see. I like that. Here's a little clue for you: What's red and white and is the only thing that lightning strikes twice? See if you hairless monkeys can figure out the answer." _After the projection vanished, Nate punched a locker door in frustration, leaving a dent in it.

"It's official! I really hate the Riddler!" he exclaimed through gritted teeth. The two of them went through a door and saw the trap that he set up for the kids. Booster finally came to the answer of the riddle, so he grabbed Nate by the shoulder. "What did you do that for? We have to save the kids."

"I know, but one of those kids is Shazam, a hero with the Wisdom of Solomon, the Strength of Hercules, the Stamina of Atlas, the Power of Zeus, the Courage of Achilles, and the Speed of Mercury. Riddler's trying to do Spyral a favor and expose his identity. That would mean one less hero for them to conquer. Luckily, getting Shazam to reveal himself will be no easy task. It's said that even being susceptible to electricity can't get the kid to transform easily."

"'What's red and white and the only thing that lightning strikes twice?' So Shazam's the answer. Well, can you tell me which one it is?"

"Sorry, but I'm afraid that I don't know. Even if I did, I can't risk telling you for two reasons: No. 1: It could alter the timeline; and No. 2: Riddler could be listening at this moment." Suddenly, they heard his laughter in the loudspeaker. "What did I tell you?" Booster asked. "Let's see if we can get the kids out of there." Nate nodded, and then took off with him to get the kids down, but they were being shocked.

"_Oh, nice try,"_ said Riddler over the intercom. _"However, you can't fly or use the power in that ring or else the children will be in for a real shock. Whatever are you going to do? Your feeble, primitive brain better think of something, and not strain itself trying to help you. It is such a delicate part of the human body. Oh, and congratulations, Man of the Future, for getting the answer right. It seems you're the slightly smarter one of the duo."_

"Just let the kids go, Riddler! They don't have to suffer for your scheme! You've got the wrong kids! None of them are Shazam!" Nate pleaded. Sadly, Nygma refused to listen.

"_I'm afraid that you're wrong there, Silver Lantern! One of these teens is definitely Shazam! Now it's time to put our heads together and figure out which one! You can save them, but I bet even you're curious enough to figure out which one it is! Since I happen to be a good sport, how about I give you an opportunity to try and save them? Let's see how you can save Freddie here! He'll be the first leg of the puzzle!"_ Nate and Booster looked at the floors and discovered that a small pattern of them were on and off.

"Nate, if we can determine the pattern that these tiles are blinking, we can run from Point A to Point B and rescue Freddie. This should prove to the rest of the world that we rock! I just hope you have some gadgets to help with the rescue."

"Did you say 'run'?" Booster didn't answer, instead only looking at the floor for the non-electrified pattern. He found it and the two started running in a series of turns until they reached Freddie. Booster made it, but the electricity was catching up to Nathaniel. Luckily, he spotted a hook on a line, so he jumped, grabbed it, and swung to the beam. Afterwards, he gave the hook to Booster, who used it to rescue Freddie. "That was cutting it close, Booster. We could've gotten ourselves killed, you know."

"Don't Logan or Hal risk their lives all the time? I'm telling you, it's about the thrill. You don't get to be a famous superhero by not coming near death all the time, you know."

"You try telling that to Freddie here. Plus, Batman, Logan, and Hal would disagree with you on that one. I'm starting to think you're not a real hero, Booster. I may not have the makings of a hero, but I know that neither do you. You'd make a better detective instead."

"T-Thank y-you, B-Booster G-Gold," Freddie stuttered before passing out from the shock. Booster almost smirked at his silver-clad teammate, but he was more concerned about the kids. He picked Freddie up and flew him to the safe zone outside the door that they came in. It locked on him, leaving Nathaniel on his own.

As Booster was banging on the door, Nate was trying to find some way to rescue the next one without flying or using his ring since both actions were going to shock them if he tried. _"What's wrong? Has your primitive brain given up and accepted that I, the Riddler, am better than you? Since I locked Golden Boy out of the room now, I'll give you a chance to rescue your little buddy Billy Batson. If neither of us is shocked by the time Booster finds a way to get back in the room, then I'm sure Billy will be. Personally, I think this is way more fun without that human lighthouse getting in the way."_

Nate looked around until he saw a narrow beam leading to another room. Since it was a good distance away, he ran to the nearest cable, grabbed it and landed on the beam. This didn't come without having to grab onto it, though, and he nearly landed on the electrified floor. Doing his best to keep his balance, he walked into the next room and saw that the entire floor was electrified except the center, which was where Billy was standing. There were no shackles, but Billy wasn't about to let Riddler have the satisfaction of revealing the secret he kept for so long or shocking him again. Nate knew the kid was hiding something, but he was more focused on saving him and Mary as soon as possible.

The Silver Lantern ran and grabbed onto a cable, swinging from one to the next. The next one, he loosened from one end and swung near Billy. The teen reached up and grabbed Nate's hand as they got to the other side. _"You know, I've the most intellectual mind in all of Gotham City and even I can't figure out how someone like you, who's not in the greatest shape, is successfully using the steel cables to rescue the kids! It doesn't matter! I've got young Mary! I also know that Billy is more resistant to the electrical shocks he's received than Freddie was! Since Shazam is a male, I've already deduced that you've just rescued him!"_

"You're bluffing, Riddler! There's no way you could possibly know who Shazam is! All that time facing Batman and Bluebird and winding up in Arkham every time has fried your brain!" Nate shouted.

"Actually, Nate," Billy said, revealing that he already figured out his friend's identity. "I have a secret. Since I don't want Mary to suffer, I have to reveal it to you." The kid stood up and looked to the ceiling. "SHAZAM!" Lightning came out of nowhere and struck Billy, causing Nate to shield his eyes. When he opened them, he was shocked at the change. In Billy's place stood a hero in a red suit that had a flashing white lightning bolt. The cape and hood were white with gold on the borders.

"You mean you're really Shazam?" Shazam nodded. "That's great, but why didn't you tell your friends at the orphanage?" Nathaniel asked.

"Because I didn't want to put them in any danger," answered the hero. "As the Silver Lantern, you ought to know that very well. That's why I don't hang out with the other kids." Suddenly, it was clear to Nate what it meant to be a hero. "You look like you came across a realization."

"I learned something today, that's all."

"Well, so did I!" They looked and saw Booster jumping from one hanging beam to the next before joining them.

"Where did you come from?"

"I used the air vents. I sent a signal flare for the nearest hero to get Freddie back to the orphanage. It turned out to be this guy dressed in all black who shot spider webs that were the same color."

"Cloak," Nate said, smiling.

"Let's go get Mary," said Shazam.

* * *

><p>Since they had to stay on the ground because of the shock machine Riddler had on Mary, they had to go on the ground. Shazam punched the door opened once they got there. "I always wanted to do that," he said. They had a look around, but saw no sign of Mary or the Riddler. "Now where did you take her, creep?"<p>

"_Dear 'heroes',"_ said a video recording on a screen. It was the Riddler. _"If you're seeing this, you know I've got away with Mary. I'll leave you three one more riddle: 'The summer is for the 'Birds, but the winter goes to the creatures of the hills. You, on the other hand, have the Blues. Where am I?'"_

"'Birds' means 'Cardinals', 'Creatures of the Hills' refers to 'Rams', and 'Blues' refers to the hockey team," said Booster.

"What are you saying, Booster?" Nate asked.

"I think what he's trying to say is that the Riddler is taking Mary to St. Louis," said Shazam, getting a nod from Booster. "Then it's time to get serious…who's the most serious person you know personally, Nate?" Nate fell over at the question.

"Just when I thought you were actually going to be serious. The most serious person I know is also the only one who can rescue Mary and deal with Riddler. That is Logan Washburn. I'm actually way ahead of you on that one. I sent him a text message letting him know that Nygma's on his way. He should be preparing right now."

"Then the best we can do is wait," said Booster, who was as serious as can be for once.

TO BE CONTINUED

CHAPTER 11 END

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, it's kind of hard to focus too much on Nate since I'm still trying to help my buddy develop his character. I think he's turning out pretty good for someone who originated as a grey version of Alan Scott or Hal Jordan. Since this is a darker version of <strong>_**Batman: The Brave and The Bold**_** focusing on OCs as opposed to Batman, it was also hard to see how I can keep Shazam and Booster Gold's personalities in line with how they usually are.**


End file.
